The Urban Gypsy

Just wanted to let you know about a great little shop in the Polish Hill area of Pittsburgh.  The Urban Gypsy is filled with handcrafted gems most of which are by locals.  Take a look and it won't take long before you understand why this shop is so unique.

This is Paulette the owner.  A better name for her might be "Mrs. Social Butterfly".  She loves her shop and it shows.  She hand picks all the items that make up the Urban Gypsy from the creative art to the antique furniture to the fresh flowers on display each day.  Just look at that smile on her face!  And yes everyone, she really is as nice as she looks :)

Now take a look around.

Wow!  What a place!  And take a look at this church just across the street.  Such a interesting little community!

And as you might have guessed, Bei Mondi is now being sold in the Urban Gypsy.  Here's a peek of some new items!

And for a complete list of items being sold at this location please check here - Bei Mondi at Urban Gypsy.

If you are in the Pittsburgh area please come and visit Mrs. Paulette's smiling face at the Urban Gypsy!

Newbies for GalleriE CHIZ

A few new bracelets for GalleriE CHIZ in Shadyside!

I Love Ya, Mom!

Yes, Mother's Day is done but I haven't had a chance to talk about this great person I call "mom".  Ok, you know all the important stuff like she gave birth to me, she took care of me for 18 years, she made me chicken soup when I was sick....  Blah, blah, blah.  But that doesn't really tell you who she is.

Gram is her name, or at least it became that about 13 or so years ago when she became a grandma.  But don't you dare call her "grandma", that's totally forbidden.  I'm guessing she thinks "Gram" sounds more sophisticated and less... well, old.  hehe

Here's a few interesting facts you should know about this fantastic lady!

1. Green thumb like you wouldn't believe.  If it can grow, she can make it grow bigger and more beautiful than before.  Its no problem for her to start whole plants from small snippets of the original.  We worked together at a greenhouse that sold native plants when I was in high school.  Unfortunately, I didn't get all the "mad" skills that she has. :(
2. Wonderful cook!  Southern style, of course.  My favorite growing up was fried potatoes and Mom always gave me one piece of raw potato to munch on while they cooked.   
3. Interior designer extraordinaire.  Along with being a fantastic seamstress.  Her house is always perfect and she always knows what colors/textures go well together.  Once again these skills were not inherited :(
4. She likes to sneak in the kitchen late at night to drink a glass of buttermilk with cornbread.  There's also some talk about her eatting tomato and mayo sandwiches when she was growing up???  Yeah, I don't understand it either but like I said, she's a southern gal.  
5. She hates to be tickled.  Hates!  She will hurt you if you even try.  And her signature move is to twist the skin on the backside your arm.  Ouch!
6. She is meticulous about her teeth.  She brushes and flosses after every meal.  Although, she's had her share of dental work and those chompers in the front aren't real (shh, don't tell!)
7. When I was a teenager, my mom and I were very close, something that's almost unheard of in today's society.  We spent lots of time shopping together along with working together.  And it is no surprise that she was also my maid-of-honor went I got married.  There's no one else I'd rather have by my side on my big day than her.
8. And the last great thing about my mom is that she's not just a mom but also a great friend!  We both hate to talk on the phone but sometimes we can sit for hours and chat about anything and everything.  And when we do get to see each other (which isn't often enough) one of the highlights of the trip is always "Coffee and Conversation" which is exactly what the name implies.

Here's Mom's Gram's Mother's Day presents!  Hope she likes them!

I just want to say thank you to Gram for being the great person that you are each and every day.

I love you, Mom!

GalleriE CHIZ

We've started selling at GalleriE CHIZ in the Shadyside area of Pittsburgh!  What an interesting place with such a broad range of art!  Creations such as the usual paintings and sculptures to gorgeous handmade books to "off the wall" artistic brassieres.  This gallery really has a little bit of everything.


Friday night they had their opening reception for the"Character Studies: Costumed & Articulated" featuring Dennis Bergevin.  Each sculpture captures the character from well known operas.  Their clothing looked like something out of a movie with every inch adorned with the smallest details.  The hair for each piece looked to be real and was artistically crafted for each individual character's persona.  And my favorite were the faces on these pieces.  These were sculpted out of red clay which created a darker appearance and gave them an almost haunting look.  Incredible!  Please check out the photos on the website to see these amazing works of art.


That, of course, was only the highlight.  Ellen Chisdes, the gallery's owner, has such an eclectic array of pieces that make your eyes dance with joy!  Bright colors and different textures for major eye candy.  Even the bathroom was decorated!!  And take a look at the entrance to her gallery.  Wow!

And here are the Bei Mondi pieces currently offered at GalleriE CHIZ!