up&about

OBJECTS OF DESIRE

RAZZLE-DAZOWELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SINGAPORE-BASED FILIPINA DESIGNER ITSY MACASAET DAZO, WHERE TEA BAGS COME TO LIFE, SOCKS TRANSFORM INTO DOGS, AND BALLERINAS DO A PIROUETTE BEFORE DISAPPEARING INTO THIN AIR.

ALL STRUNG OUTQuestion: How many pearls does it take to make a necklace?Answer: Sixteen! It takes just sixteen giant faux pearls to make this hip yet elegant necklace! I’ve added a pretty pink grosgrain ribbon as a lock so you also look pretty from behind.

CHARM’S COOLShe never left her apartment without her keys, her scent, her purse, her shoes, her grandmother’s pendant, and, of course, her heart. Six very feminine charms hang from this necklace of two chain layers with a bronze finish.

PURE SHORESShe sells seashells that all sold out, except for one golden shell she kept for herself. A seashell charm hangs from this bracelet made of big links. A black grosgrain ribbon helps secure this on your wrist.

INTO THE BLUEHalf of her body was hanging from the starboard while her fingers stretched out to sea. When she lifted her hand, the cold air kissed her wrist and turned the drops of salt water into glass. She did the same thing on the port side. Blue oval glass beads are strung with elastic nylon to make two separate bracelets.

TO A TEAThis tea bag doll loves to be gently tossed, dipped and flipped! It is filled with grains for more flipping fun! There was no caffeine involved in making this tea bag. Handsewn applique completes the face of this doll. This decaffeinated tea bag doll is the first doll I made. There are more tea dolls coming soon. Watch out for the Flavored Tea Series! Yum!

SOCK IT TO MEI’m looking for a home and a name. I can make my snout touch the ground. I can stand on all fours. I can wag my tail with a little help. I can lay on my left side, my right side, and my back. And I’ve got black button eyes. In case you’re wondering, I am very clean because I’m made from a brand new sock!

DAYDREAMING IN BLUEStaring out the window of her brownstone, she took four heirloom pendants from her jewelry box and tried to feel what it was like to be a woman from her grandmother’s time. A rose, a heart, a cameo, and a pearl drop pendant hang from this five-tiered necklace.

BE A TOOLTools right by your hand! Ready to fix any boring social situation with this conversation piece! Wrenches, pliers, and a hammer with copper patina hang from round copper links. A brown grosgrain ribbon secures it neatly on your wrist.

TUTU MODAOnce Isabelle started dancing, she was in a world of her own. Suspended from ceilings, lamps, or shelves, she’ll perform for you anywhere! In your bedroom, your study, your kitchen, or in your living room. Watch Isabelle dance in a pretty tutu. As light lands softly on pink lace and her purplish-grey glass body shimmers from all angles, Isabelle has the attention of her audience with her every turn.

EDITOR’S NOTE These and other works by the featured

artist, Itsy Macasaet Dazo, all under the label mrsdazo, are available at etsy.com. Log on to www.

mrsdazo.etsy.com or to www.sippingtea.etsy.com.

Tell us a little about how you got started. Why did you decide to start your own line? I’ve always been into the whole arts and crafts thing. When I was in grade school, I loved art class. When I was a teenager, I tried to make my own bags. So I think I started quite early.Years ago, I met some women from New York who made accessories. It looked like they were having fun stringing beads. I tried it out just so I could make pieces I could wear myself. But sometimes, one gets carried away, so I’ve been doing this in spurts for more than seven years. I would make necklaces and bracelets on my free time. Then I found some stores in Manila that would sell them for me. My friends would also visit me at my apartment to shop for accessories. I also have friends who would sell my creations for me. About two years ago, I bought a sewing machine. I bought it so I that I could start sewing sock dolls. Back then, I really just needed a creative outlet. You see, doing these things is therapy. It used to relax me after a stressful day at work. I decided to go online with this because it’s something I haven’t tried. I want to reach out to more people by selling to and buying from other designers. The etsy.com online community I’ve joined is a very inspiring world. Looking through all the designers’ works is like going to an exhibit every day. I’ve made two good online friends with whom I share selling and crafting tips, too.

How and where do you work, and what do you need to have around you for inspiration? The great thing about designing is that there is no fixed process. Things happen. I sew. I paint. I string beads. Eventually, unique things reveal themselves to me. I am surrounded by a lot of things that inspire me. I go to the market, go for a walk, listen to music, or talk to a friend. I doodle, I read, I cook, I bake. I look at other people’s works and read about other people’s lives. These are all very inspiring to me and when I’m lucky, there are days I get up from bed and I know what to do. So a good night’s sleep, I guess, can also help inspire the mind. I have no designated work area. Sometimes I’m at my desk with the sewing machine in front of me and sometimes, I’m on all fours, getting messy with my paint tubes on the floor.

What materials do you work with? Lace. Vintage lace. Wire. Glass. Semi-precious stone. Copper. Fabric. Socks. Raw silk. Beads. Chains. Buttons. Oils. Acrylic.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

TEA AND THERAPY WITH ITSY MACASAET DAZOinterview KRIZETTE LAURETA CHU

How do you describe this debut collection under the mrsdazo label on etsy.com? It’s an expression of my frustration from numerous years of failing to set aside as much time as I’d like so I could do all these. It’s also the result of creative therapy.

Is there a particular mrsdazo design aesthetic? Simple. Silly. Happy. Understated. Fun. Senseless at times.

Do you have any favorite in this collection, anything you find the most original, the most creative, the most inventive, or the one you’re most proud of? My tea bag dolls! They make me laugh. I enjoyed sewing the applique faces by hand! And I thought that attaching the string and stapling that little piece of paper at the end of the string was quite clever. I also enjoyed making my miniature ballerinas. They’re ornaments that can make a little corner in your home a little prettier.

What is your personal style? I am very simple in my manner of dressing and the pieces I make reflect that. These are simple pieces that can make an outfit a bit more hip, a little more funky or feminine, or even a little more elegant. You can say that the pieces I have now are a reflection of my state of mind: relaxing, waiting, and slowly working toward something bigger. See, I am going after my dream job. I want to be an arts and crafts teacher and, eventually, an art therapist. I’ve walked away from my advertising job of fifteen years. In the meantime, I am doing all these little things I enjoy before I start studying again. I am a big fan of the fashion industry, though. I look up to creative geniuses, who translate their designs into creations that influence and inspire. There is a lot on my list but my top two are Valentino and Vivienne Westwood. I make it a point to walk into the Valentino shop every other month. I love his work. Everything is made and designed so well.

I love looking at the details that are put into the form, the hemline, the sleeves, the collar, and the beading. It is impeccable. Vivienne Westwood is a favorite because of her life story. I took an interest in her when I found out that the punk band The Sex Pistols wore her designs during her earlier years as a designer. She revolutionized fashion and the impact of her influence is still felt to this day.

Where can people find your work? All my creations and vintage finds are on etsy.com, which by the way has nothing to do with my name! Etsy.com is a “place where you can buy and sell all things handmade.” My stores on etsy are at www.mrsdazo.etsy.com and www.sipping.etsy.comYou can also visit my online journal at abovehappyvalley.blogspot.com. This is a blog I’ve had for the past three years. I document the things I create here and I sometimes announce the new things I place on my online shelves. I also write about the work of other designers and how they inspire me. At times, I share my recipes. I also write about my own life once in a while. I like it when people drop by and say hello. I enjoy meeting new people.