MADE FOR PEPPER: 6 MONTHS

We went to the Alameda County Fair, so I was inspired to have some fringy cowgirl flair for this months outfit. You might remember my own vest from HERE. I sized it down for bebe and added some suede fringy bloomers and moccasins. Vintage red bandana shirt gifted from Lil Sara, bracelet from Minds Eye Vintage. Happy 6 months, Pepper! You're growing up too fast.

MADE FOR PEPPER: 1 MONTH

The last few months have been pretty busy, mostly because I had a baby! Her name is Pepper and she is awesome. I thought a really fun project would be to make her an outfit for each month of her first year (maybe even longer?). This would would be a great way to document her growth and try my sewing skills out with baby clothes, which I've never had any interest in making...until now! So around the 15th of each month, I will show her monthly outfit (running a little late this time). Stay tuned for the next one, it's around Valentine's Day and I'm excited to get working on it.

Gold leather moccasins by Claflin, Thayer & Co., available for purchase HERE. Vintage trims and fabric pulled out of my stockpile.

Mini moto jacket pattern and muslin mock-up.

Finished jacket in raw silk with silver lurex thread. I've had this fabric forever and love it.

Complete outfit: jacket, skirt, and shoes made by me.

Little lady in her outfit.

EMBOSSING

Embossing is available on leather moccasin styles. This makes a great way to personalize baby's first shoes. Adding the name and birthday to the tongue of the shoe makes a great newborn gift! Check store to right ------------------------------------------------------------------------>

WEEKEND SHOP REPORT

Thus concludes the end of my weekend-long shop, for now at least. I was having too much fun to take pics but here's a few. Many thanks to Lil Sara for her help and company! Thanks for coming by if you made it, and if not, shoes will be available online soon.

My dad, Edward Claflin Thayer, and I, standing beneath the original sign that hung in front of our family shoe business circa 1820.

Old family photos and framed store receipts on display with shoes.

Shoes and lips bags. Something for everyone.

I will be adding shoes to my online store shortly and they will also be available locally in Oakland, please check back for updates.

SHOES SHOES SHOES

It's like Santa's workshop over here - turning out shoes for the shop this weekend! Stop by and say hello, check out the collection, and pick up a pair for someone small:

CLAFLIN, THAYER & CO. SHOP
470G 49th Street (Temescal Alley)
Oakland, CA 94609
Friday 12/7: 5pm - 9pm
Saturday 12/8: 11am - 6pm
Sunday 12/9: 11am - 4pm

Photos by Wild About You Photography.

THE FIRST MOCCASIN

I've fallen into making baby shoes, I didn't plan it at all - it just happened. Here's how it all began: I went to visit my friend and her new baby and wanted to make a nice gift to bring along. I thought some moccasins would be cool, so I made a pattern. They were fun to make - much smaller and less time consuming than the full jacket patterns I am used to pondering over for long periods of time. I'd made a pair of moccasins for myself several years ago (pictured in orange below) but think this style is much more suited for a baby. I did a little research and made a pattern, largely inspired by the little fabric Budweiser "booze shoes" I have, also shown below.

Just a few pattern pieces - moccasins are pretty quick n easy.

For this first pair, I hand sewed them but now prefer to do them on the leather machine for a cleaner finish.

Almost done, just 4 pieces plus some laces.

Finished shoes. These fit 0-3 months.

And here is Mr. Emerson himself modeling them. It was hard to get a good picture because he kicks his feel like a little madman.

I've probably made upwards of 40 shoes since then. More to come...

BABY MOCCASINS

Here's what's in the works over at my shop. Lots of little leather shoes. 5-size range will fit Newborn - 2 years old. Select styles will be available on my website by Thanksgiving with additional styles available shortly after at a TBD location.Stay posted for more info to come.

PREVIEW

I'll be adding a new category to the online shop in a couple weeks - shoes for little people (and maybe big ones, eventually)! Here is a little preview of the shoes - they are really fun to make and I can't wait to add even more crazy patterns and materials. Stay tuned for more info...

MORE BLACK AND GOLD...

This is a Desperately Seeking Susan boot update. My favorite boot of all time from the movie, as seen HERE and below, has been updated into a very sassy (did I just say "sassy"?) all-0ver studded bootie from Mulberry. Nice work, guys! I'd buy it if I had cash to spare.Mulberry studded suede bootie $950 at Net-a-Porter.

HAHA, FUNNY JOKE

Real nice, Opening Ceremony. Real nice.

FUZZY FEET

I make crazy things like this sometimes. Yes, it's really true.

FACE FEET

These are quite amazing...Dolce and Gabbana. Photo from Sea of Shoes. Why not wear faces on your feet?

CASTLE BOOTS

I told my studio mates I wanted to google "leather tassels" for some different construction ideas. They thought I said "leather castles" which is weird. So I googled that and found these ridiculous boots. Leather castles!
You can get them HERE for $155 if you want to look silly. Maybe they'd be good for the Ren fair?

EVIL HEELED

I forget who makes this shoe...feel free to share if you know.

MICROMETAL

I keep trying to denounce studs but then I find some fucked up shoe like this one that's so over the top I kind of have to like it.
Cesare Paciotti

Photo by Dominique Maitre

SCORE!

Thanks to my friend Sara for sending these shoes my way! Of course, I love them and snatched them up right away...my size, mint condition vintage, zippers & studs, bitchin spike heel...could they be any better? I'll probably never wear them like 90% of the things I buy, but even if I just gaze at them all day and sleep with them under my pillow at night, I'll be a happy girl to have them.

BIG KNIT

Giant scale knit boots. Not sure who made them. Way better than Uggs. Black Gumby feet.
Christien Meindertsma makes some large scale knit things . Look at her go! I bet she has really strong arms. Her work is cool, check it out here.

SILVER

These are weird. And cool. I think.Matiko at Free People

STUD COLLAGE

I love the studs on these boots. They look like a mistake. When you set a stud in leather and don't hit it correctly with your tool, it smashes the stud and leaves it bent.

The entire shaft of this boot is covered in various holes and smashed studs. If it were one or two bent studs on a boot, I'd be pissed to pay $498 for them at Free People. But if you cover the whole thing in them, it's pretty amazing.

CLOGS

You can love them or hate them, but they are kinda my favorite shoes. Clogs. Here's the cream of the crop, if you ask me:
Swedish Hasbeens. My favorite!
Vintage blue suede shoesClog bootsAhhh! And this crazy freaky thigh-high clog boot? Seriously!?! You won't catch me wearing these anytime soon, but I certainly appreciate the shock value of them Thanks for the tip, Shay!