Put a Ring on It
Hi everyone, happy Wednesday!
Since last week was a tenth-issue, it feels like we’re sort of starting fresh this week. So I think now’s a good time for me to try something new and switch to an every-other-week schedule for WIWO. I’ve been doing my best to send out weekly issues (and besides the occasional lapse, have stuck to it pretty well, I’d say!), but now that summer is coming up, I’d like to have a little more freedom to go out and have fun without worrying about when I’m going to write my newsletter. Putting out a new issue every week isn’t that time-consuming, but there have been instances where I had to skip an event or rain check on hangouts because I needed to write WIWO, and I do have vacation plans coming up where I know I won’t have time to devote to it. I’m not sure yet if this is just for the summer or if it’ll become a permanent schedule — I’ll take stock in a few months and see how I feel. But for now, I’m excited to enjoy the warmer months, and I hope you all are too! See you in two weeks!
Betta Believe It
NEEDLE FELTED PINK BETTA - DEME TYOUBI ($122)
Many years ago, I won a goldfish at the county fair. I did my best for him, I really did — I went to PetSmart and bought food and water conditioner and a tank and even a little plant for the tank — but sadly, he kicked the bucket after three days. I’ve always been fascinated by fish, but clearly owning one as a pet is not in the cards for me, so I’ll just have to content myself with keeping a beautiful felted wool fish from Etsy store Deme Tyoubi. The artist behind the shop, Hikaru Yahagi, crafts all the fish by hand, incorporating sequins, pearls, and embroidery to create the look of intricate iridescent scales. Unfortunately, this gorgeous coral rainbow betta sold before I could snag it, but there’s plenty of fish in the sea and you can always request a custom order as well.
Ringing Endorsement
KALEIDOSCOPE RINGS - SUGAR MAD STUDIO ($15)
I’ve mostly sat out the kidcore jewelry trend; those chunky blobby rings are cute, but I don’t want to go about my day toting around miniature weights on my hands. These slim beaded rings from Sugar Mad Studio, on the other hand, are eminently wearable while still retaining a playfully childish sensibility. Artist Annalee strings them together from Japanese glass beads and nylon thread to create unique pattern and color combinations reminiscent of kaleidoscope swirls. Most importantly, however, she says they’re very lightweight and basically unnoticeable when you’re wearing them — music to my ears.
Hard as Nails
AFTERNOON AT MOMA - STUDIO AOKO (PRICE UNLISTED)
Is this finally gonna be the summer that I get into cool nails? I’ve written before about my inexperience with all things manicure-related, but I always feel a tinge of FOMO whenever I see people sporting the most elaborate little works of art on their hands. I think I might still be a bit too timid for gel extensions or acrylics, but press-ons seem like a reasonable next step; I’m currently eyeing these pearlescent ones dappled with drops of color, from Studio Aoko. I especially like that they seem to be a fairly manageable length, so that I can ease myself into the experience of nails that extend beyond my fingertips. The artist behind Studio Aoko, Stephanie Kao, doesn’t have a storefront yet, so if you’re interested in purchasing a pair shoot her a DM on Instagram.
Tried one of my recs and loved it (or hated it)? Wanna get something cool on my radar? Drop me a line at kittylguo@gmail.com or swing by my Twitter @kitguo!