Press with out pressing part 2

	Ok, I know the press is powerful and very influential in what people buy and how they respond to brands. I find it rather flattering and really..well and little odd that people are putting my bags up there with Ralph Lauren and other top designers. I did a little searchy search on the web and found that other bloggers are talkin the Candy Purse line up. Check it out.
	NEWS WARDROBE WORTHY: UP AND COMING FASHION DESIGNERS TO WATCH Brands like Baby Phat and Sean John have become as mainstream as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. From Harlem boutiques to fine department stores like Bloomingdale’s, the success of these clothing lines are a true sign that the fashion industry has become more diverse than it was twenty or even fifteen years ago. I think it’s fair to say that Hip Hop can take the credit for opening doors but before Diddy and Russell Simmons, Black and Hispanic designers have been working their way onto the scene with everything from couture to ready to wear apparel.... We wear it because it compliments our figure, makes us feel beautiful or just turn heads, but fashion is a cultural and artistic expression that historians will use to tell our story long after we’re gone. During my search for emerging Black and Hispanic designers, I found two hidden gems that exhibit trend, culture and art through eye catching pieces. Chez La Cherie, by Angel Johnson, and Candy Purse, by Candace Marquette, are two labels by African American women that you will definitely want add to your wardrobe collection. Click to read more. HANDBAG DESIGNER 101 IHDA 2009 Pictures here! Email Sign-Up | Handbag Correspondent | Designer Registry TODAY'S DESIGNER BAG TRENDS CELEBRITY BAG WATCH JOBS & SERVICES HANDBAG AWARDS ALL DESIGNERS SEWING TIPS CANDY PURSE Tattoo illustrations on Buskin sewn to Lamskin, $300 Rouched Faux Ostrich print on leather with tatooed cuff, $250 Tattoo illustrations on Buckskin Leather, $300 Comments: [post a comment] Comment: Name: State/Country: 1. Love your style. Tried to view your site... splash pic hindrance. - Miss from CA, August 31, 2009. 2. You are amazing! Love your designs. There is something wrong with your website. Please fix asap! Can't wait to go back on it to find out more about you! - Kisha from NY, August 31, 2009. 3. Fabulous designs. Would consider buying one of your bags, but can't figure out from your website how do do so! - Elizabeth from Washington, DC, September 10, 2009. My name is Candace Marquette and I'm just a crazy kind-of gal that loves the challenge of making something out of nothing. My style is artsy with a mix of offbeat edge and sophistication. But I can never be Candace with out adding a little taste of punk rocker chic swagger. Right now I have a line that I have not named yet that I am working on. This line will focus more on leather detail with pops of tattoo artistry. I will incorporate more drawings of faces, bodies and very ethereal artist backgrounds. Candy Purse accessories are made from the finest leathers and skins all rolled up in a couture ball of personality. Most bags are ripped up with tattooed illustrated and hand painted detail out of this world. All Candy Purses come dripping with antique findings, beads, and chain that I find at various antique malls. My audience is the kind of girl/woman that loves to stand out in a crowd. She just eats up attention and loves to show off her individuality. I got my line started actually by accident. I wanted to make a bag to empress an employer at the time to get a job. I used a perfume box and added some of my old watercolor paintings to it and it came out fabulous. As the years passed I got better and began to use leather. From then on they just morphed into beautiful artful pieces. My handbags are all made by me one at time. I do use some machine detail but I construct, design and put together every single piece from start to finish. No one will ever own a bag like you. Even if I put out a limited edition I make sure each bag has something different. I had a design nightmare happen to me when I was a little younger and naive. I did not finish college but I got all the schooling that I felt that I needed. So I approached a very well know manufacturer in Dallas to see if I could get a job there as a designer. Well they asked me to do an portfolio interview and sketch out and render some pieces for them. Well, I did not get the job but I discovered about 2 years later that they stole my designs and were selling them at their stores world wide. I knew these were my designs because everything was exactly the same except that the colors were different. So now, I just work for myself, it is very hard to trust people/companies these days. I love the fashion and the craft world. So I have decided to merge the two while I wait to become a house hold name (fingers crossed). I got approached by a publishing company to write a book on fashion and crafting. My book is called Craft Candy. It teaches people step by step how to make handbags and fashion accessories. Craft Candy is sold in stores and online internationally. What is your name? Candace Marquette Where are you from? Allen, Texas Where do you live now? Texas How old are you? 32 Do you have a design background? Yes. Do you still have a day job? I am a stay at home mom. What year were your bags born? 2006 Bag brand name: Candy Purse What is their retail price range? $50 - $350 Where can a shopper buy your bags? www.candypurse.com For more information, contact: www.candypurse.com Candace Marquette Posted By Craft Corps on July 14, 2009 Candace Marquette Name: Candace Marquette Age: 32 Location: Allen, TX Profession: Stay at homeMommy/Wifey/Fashion Accessory Designer/Author Craft(s) of Choice:: Handbags, Leather cuffs, home fashion Blog: http://www.candypurse.com I have always been a crafter since I can remember. I use to take my socks, cut them up and make barbie doll clothes from them. I went to the University of North Texas to study Graphic Design and Drawing and Painting. I used those skills which helped me birth my stylistic Candy Purse handbags and accessories. I have 3 little ones and I mean little, ages 2,3 and 5! They keep me busy and craft with me so we can be together. I love life and I have a great responsibility to help make the world a better place. Crafting, re purposing and up cycling and loving and laughing a lot, keep me sane! Designer of the Day: Candace Marquette September 17th, 2009 Illustrations on handbags can sometimes go horribly wrong but definitely not in the case of Texas-based Candace Marquette. Candace’s style is edgy, funky and rock n’ roll! Her bags are tattooed and hand-painted, and dressed with antique findings and chains that she finds at various antique malls. Very cool! You can find out more on her website here.

Press with out pressing

Usually I contact press/media and hope and wait until they respond. I get so frustrated with that I just want to scream. But we must press on!

Just wanted to say that I got a shout out from the Literary Fashionista!
Check out what she said about Candy Purse.

I love what she says about my bags, well... except for the Cher part. She meant to say Gwen Stefani. But I wont' be picky, I'll take Cher!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Candy Purse: An Artist in Texas

I'm telling you. There's lots of stuff still made here in the USA, and among them are handmade accessories.

If you don't subscribe to Handbag Designer 101, then do! It's an update of the latest handbag artisans.
I was browsing through the daily reports, and this line popped out at me. Call it Joan Jett meets Cher.
Candy Purse by Candace Marquette is a line of handmade jewelery and purses. Her designer bags are painted, tattoed, and sewn. Not only do her hand bags exist on some cutting edge of fashion, they radiate the good spirit of their maker. Self described as a "punk rocker chic swagger" aesthetic (anyone who has gone to fashion week knows exactly what she's talking about), each are crafted of leather and adorned with her own jewelery.

Candace also has a great blog called Rejuvination Nation.
Price range: $50 - $350. At this point, why bother with retailers when you can have your own one-of-a-kind?

Ok, ok I will get serious here

I have had a really hard time keeping my blog new and fresh... not so much content matter, but keeping it updated. It just might be that I have a little fear of commitment? Well, no that's not it because I have been married for 10 beautiful years. I have 3 small kids Bay Bell and Jo (she's a spunky girl). So I kinda did a little soul searching. I came to realize my fears. What if no one wants to hear what I have to say. What if I find out that I am boring and really just plain nuts.
These thoughts and trials and seem so frivilous and pointless. But when confronted with them in the dark an ominous spark happens. You see our brilliance in creativity has life. It adds light to the darkness. To open my life and my heart is to open a hopeful sea of possiblitlies and beauty. There is a beautiful motion and wonderful pure energy that fuels me from day to day. Some might not want to admit that it might be God, but I know that it is. My fuel comes from my faith and that faith is a crushing beacon to the dark. So kindly turn away from this and say well, she is nuts, if you must. If you must turn away, please turn away with a smile and go forth in your life. But if you must and shall not turn away for this moment, let an ember of hope and beauty fuel you today and forever more.

Psst..Look to your right

I found this really cool magazine called Mixtapezine out of Melbourne, Australia.
They are looking for crafty writers for their new issue. I was so excited to write to them
and let them know that I would love to write for them. They responded back and gave me submissions guidelines. Here is a quote from their bio describing who they are "mixtape is a craft maga(ZINE) about making time for the small things!mixtape is a collision of craft, eco-cool and pop culture kitsch". When you write for them they give you permission to post their "I write for mixtape" logo. I went ahead and posted mine so that I can get motivated and write for them.
Just thought I let you guys know. To find out more info go to www.mixtapezine.com

I have a plan.....

Hey again, I know that I just posted but I have another idea.
I want to make a blogging journal of all of my crafty creations and share it with the cyber world. I want to make a project every day for one month. Then if I keep to that I will bump it up to 2 month and so on and so on.
Here's another shameless plug.. ok wait, no it is not shameless.
There IS no shame that is associated to something that I am proud of.
So I am going to forever change that phrase to Proud Plug, or Gifted Anouncement, or Cool uh, well. Ok here is antother shamless plug of my book.

Remember to Emerge from the Boring!

Martha Martha Martha

There has been a little talk around (ok was a little talk) my publisher office that the Martha Stewart Show contacted them and wanted to have me on as an author. When I heard the news, I was like cool. No I wasn't! I was crying and jumping and screaming with excitement!
I felt as if my dreams were about to really start coming true. Ok, yeah, I wrote a book called "Craft Candy", I am very proud of it. But we never got confirmation and this was about 6 months ago. So here I am anxiously waiting for the call.
Instead of waiting for her to call, I thought that I might give her a little push. I have a cool marketing plan/strategy that I know will work. Now, all I have to do it get in motion and just pray that it WILL happen. I will keep you posted and let you know.
Psst.... if anybody knows anybody that knows someone that knows someone that knows her and think my book is cool and crafty, please holla!

Looky look what I made!

Hey all, I am trying to get use to blogging again. Wow, is it time consuming. The kiddos are finally
in bed and I am catching up on some bidness (business that is).

I want to share with you this really cool sweater vest dripped in vintage chain and things.
You will see it in the upcoming issue of Altered Couture, yea!!

Let me know if you likey, so holla back!