A small clue about the next collection launching soon:
Dolly Parton is revered around here. Last year we took a trip to Tennessee for a quick visit to the mecca known as Dollywood!

Update 1.16.14! Dolly Parton just announced an upcoming tour- The Blue Smoke World Tour. She'll be performing in Kentucky, Oklahoma + Tennessee, of course.

A tiny hint about the next product... yarn.

Sometimes babies are messy. (all the time) So when the time comes to freshen your bunting up- don't worry- caring for your baby bunting is simple. Just follow these tried + true tricks for stellar results.

Bunting Cover:
-Act quickly. Most stains can be removed if you attack them before they dry. 
-Remove lining from bunting. Turn bunting inside out. 
*RockStar Tip* For optimal results, throw into a pillow case for added protection against nor'easter grade agitation.
-Wash in cold water set to 'delicate' or 'short wash.' 
*RockStar Tip* Use a mild detergent made for a baby's delicate skin. Do not use bleach.
-Remove from washer promptly.
- Lay to dry on a flat surface. [if you can find one not covered in baby clothes!]
*RockStar Tip* Drape the bunting over a chair- the ruffles will look spectacular and fuller than if you keep it flat. [+it dries very quickly]

Removable Lining:
This can be washed, if you have ever washed an actual pillow- those are pretty similar to the results you will get when washing a bunting. 
*RockStar Tip* Go for it! 
-Wash in cold water set to 'delicate' or 'short wash.
-Remove from washer promptly.
- Lay to dry on a flat surface.
*RockStar Tip* Occasionally 'knead' the lining as you would bread dough, that will cut down on the 'lumps' that are congregating. 

Guess what! 
Buntings can be professionally dry cleaned.
Recommended for styles with lace or specialty buntings from the Christening Collection. 

There are a lot of firsts taking place in Detroit. Yesterday Open Co. hosted a Detroit version of their awesome business conference- an all-day exploration of local companies, culminating in a networking extravaganza held at MOCAD.

Shot the musician the "Aoki" bunting is named after! How awesome is that?

The Verge Campus tour opened the season this Friday evening at Meadow Brook Music Festival, where Steve Aoki ripped into a packed house with his hardcore production skills.

Cold for April, and frigid enough for the entire crowd to wear coats, one lone fan wearing red velvet stilettos stole the show, until the the man of the hour, Aoki blasted onstage at full speed, attacking his DJM-900 Nexus mixers in an onslaught of color.

It was so cold you could see his breath. Aoki was dripping in scarlet red and electric blue, then Bombs Away! He transformed into a massive explosion of energy, detonating in front of the sold-out crowd of 8,000. They mimicked his moves, going wild, thrashing their arms in the air to the commanding beat.

It is shocking what a man standing behind a stationary block can accomplish. His sets are high energy house parties, with brilliant performance art arriving in waves throughout the show. Let's just say it usually involves birthday cake and navigating through thousands of people in an inflatable raft- treacherous and thrilling. Whenever he went wild, so did the crowd.

Later he did what any guy owning a fashion house would do, and performed a wardrobe change, shedding his jacket for a t-shirt featuring a deranged version of Mr. T. It's rumored he's scheming with his fashionista sister to introduce a new line, so be on the lookout for that collab on the horizon.

Aoki transforms everywhere he goes into a Wonderland; a place of hardcore enchantment with treacherous adventure at every turn. Maybe one day he'll arrive on the scene with an invisible cheshire cat and play some croquet using a flamingo- until then, he knows how to throw a raging Mad Tea Party, overflowing with champagne and cake. And if this curious Land includes buckets of mud, freezing cold temperatures, and riding the rapids- then this must be the place.

With all the talk about pianos in public spaces + this amazing experimental art installation brought to the streets of New York years ago, I wanted to highlight another piano- this one sits in a building in Detroit- and has been turned into its own piece of art- kicks! 

As the doors opened to let the crisp autumn air in, reggae music and a steady stream of excited chatter poured out, welcoming us into the amazing space that is The Belle Isle Aquarium. A substantial crowd was present, filling the area with cheerful conversation. After being closed for many years, the aquarium is once again open to the public! It has been a long and treacherous road to re-open, but at last- we prevailed.

Originally opened on August 18, 1904, it is THE oldest aquariums in WORLD. The architect of this stunning creation was Albert Kahn, one of the most recognized figures to grace the city. He designed many renown building throughout Detroit. The exterior of the building is as fascinating as the interior is stunning.

If you have ever wondered what it would feel like to be a fish in a tank, step into the aquarium. The gorgeous celery green tilework found throughout is colored in a way that throws you into the realm of deep-sea diver. This space is deceivingly expansive, as you will find as you walk through.

Tanks line the walls, many filled with fish and other creatures of the sea, some used as exhibition displays for local artists and companies. [a great idea] Other tanks hold key pieces of Belle Isle history, including the blueprint for the aquarium and some sketches and history of the Frederick Meiijer-designed sculptures that are found throughout the Detroit Metro area, including Belle Isle.

The Belle Isle Aquarium is open on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

We are pleased to announce the latest addition to Monkeys and Mayhem: The Natasha. Sophisticated and edgy, this bunting is as unique as it is stunning. Please drop us an email to special order this Limited Edition style.

Answer: *Natasha* Khan of Bat for Lashes!

The latest bunting to hit the scene, 'The Aoki,' is a collab of traditional design mixed with fresh style. Created with your little musician in mind- it's never too early to kick a new flava in their ears...

Today Skrillex & friends are launching a Canadian concert tour by rail. Tonight is Toronto, then the Full Flex Express will hit other cities, performing at music festivals at each stop. Similar to Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue in terms of the musical carnival experience, this should prove to be equally entertaining. Skrillex invited some friends to roll with him to guarantee that the celebration never stops.

Since you weren't invited- you may want to make your own train, then you can maybe pretend you are some EDM superstar, off to perform in front of thousands.
Next week, we'll make the musicians out of clothepins... you can create one in your likeness if you want to perpetuate the dream.

Ingredients:
Plastic Juice Bottle
Long cardboard roll of some sort [aluminum foil tube works best]
Toothpaste Box
Cardboard
Knife/Scissors
Paints & Brushes
Glue Gun
String
Random Junk: Raid recycling & use whatever you find around the house

For the Papier Mache:
Newspaper: shredded into an array of different size strips
Paste: to create, mix ½ cup h2o with ½ cup flour

To begin: Shape the bottle into a train by cutting the center out & folding the 'label' into a podium. Children should not help with this part-  the emergency room almost got a visit; I used an exceedingly sharp knife.

Attach the cardboard rolls onto the body of the bottle using hot glue. Add a smaller roll above each long tube. Cut openings in long roll: these are the windows. Using the toothpaste box or similar,* fashion the front of the train into a three dimensional diamond. Fold & glue part of the same box to create the top of the podium. This is when trouble set in, so I just spray-painted paper & taped it on.

Papier mache all* surfaces, leaving a little circle in front for the headlight. Let it dry. Now paint it. Add fabric backed by cardboard for the seat. Cut to fit proper dimensions & secure in place. Add strings to recreate cables- beads were used for the RCAs. Film canisters were painted & placed on the front of the train. Makit & Bakit beads were used as the headlte.

*Please Note: Attempting to depict the front of the train accurately drove me insane- so I resorted to photoshopping a vintage toy train as the front.

This is the first in a series of musical papier mache recreations.