Shredding Tees

Shredded Tees are showing up everywhere. On the street, on the runway this fall and it makes a great Saturday afternoon DIY project.

Workers at Outreach Thrift Store in Norman are shredding up a storm, they have found that this new trend is easy to make and instantly modernizes your fall wardrobe.

World Literature Today Managing Editor Michelle Johnson-Final Project

Photo courtesy of World Literature Today

Michelle Johnson has worked at World Literature Today, an internationally read magazine produced by the University of Oklahoma, since 2004 and she has worked as the Managing editor for one year.

World Literature today is 84 years old and used to be an academic journal called Books Abroad. In the last 10 years the journal evolved into a colorful magazine, but has not lost its academic stand point. The magazine covers literature, culture, music, dance and architecture.

"This magazine has undergone a complete renaissance, because it used to be an academic journal which was all black and white, few pictures and lots of text, it was interesting but it was a journal," Johnson said.

WLT also hosts the Neustadt fesitval in the fall and the Puterbaugh festival in the spring. WLT is a non-profit publication.

"This is really fun because it isn’t driven by a profit motive, so you don't have that as your primary mental preoccupation and that is freeing in a way," Johnson said. "You are producing something that is intelligent, but it's not just for an academic audience anymore, so we are getting to think about an audience that is broader, and that's exciting."

Her job as managing editor entails copy editing the entire magazine, finding new authors to contribute to the magazine and meeting creative people all over the world.

"I meet a lot of interesting people, meeting the authors and the guests that come, it's a lot of fun," Johnson said. "That's not dull, that's not boring, working with creative people can be a lot of fun."

Johnson went to Oklahoma City University and has a bachelor's degree in English and a law degree. She practiced law for many years, but finally decided to stop and look around for something new. She was on the law review in law school which drove home a real love of producing and putting out a piece of work. And so a job in magazines was just what she wanted.

"I love the subject matter of the magazine, I love that we actually produce something, that we make something and I think that what we produce is valuable and I love how much I get to learn," Johnson said. "I feel like what we are producing is really neat, something that I want to tell people about, that I'm excited about."

Magazine Industry and Internet Presence Today:

Experts agree that the circulation of hard copy magazines are down and are continuing to be so. However, those who work in the magazine industry think that magazines will never completely lose their hard copy print editions.

Michelle Johnson, managing editor of World Literature Today, said that she believes magazines’ death are being prematurely reported.

“I think that there are people like me and people much younger than me who just like to hold a magazine and who like to go into a book store and buy one, who like to hold it in their hands and that’s not going to change,” Johnson said. “I don’t think that you will ever have a complete death, these things are going to swing back and forth.”

Lori Brooks, faculty advisor for the features office at the University of Oklahoma, says much the same thing.

“I will forever say that there is something about holding a publication in your hands that has a connection that you can’t have any other way,” Brooks said.

Even though circulation is down for magazines since 2008, magazines have promise in the online business. So far online profits have not been substantial enough to make a difference in magazine profits, but ‘Slate’ editor-in-chief, Jacob Weisberg said he is betting on internet and online profits to get better because online business is inherently better. State of the News Media said they estimate online profits to be a small but fast-growing part of the magazine business. They said in 2009 online revenues grew, but are still unlikely to make up for declines in newsstand profits.

State of the News Media quotes mediafinder.com which says the number of online only publications is growing. In 2009 there were 694 online magazines which grew from 168 in 2004. This of course means more jobs, because more content is needed to fill the unlimited space that the internet can provide.

“Magazines are doing better than newspapers now, partly because they do have that online presence, because they do have that online interactive piece and a written kind of piece,” Brooks said.

Brooks said that OU alumni have found that their jobs at magazines require more than just writing now. They are expected to blog, Tweet and send out enewsletters. She said for those seeking a job in this industry, they should expect to be asked to do much more than simply produce content.

Johnson said World Literature Today has taken advantage of the opportunities the internet has afforded.

“There is just so much connectivity back and forth between what’s inside a magazine and what’s online, and I think that that is a key change in the magazine industry from the past decade and it will be interesting to see where that goes,” Johnson said.

Sources:
Michelle Johnson, managing editor of World Literature Today, June 28, 2010.
Lori Brooks, faculty advisor of features office, University of Oklahoma, June 30, 2010.
State of the News Media, journalism.org, Magazines. June 30, 2010

A Stash of Treasure! -Post 9

Stash, a new business which opened in Norman Okla. Thursday, sells sustainable and fair trade clothes and accessories. Co-owners Della Patterson and Rebecca Bean are mingling recycled vintage items with imported fair trade and U.S made items and hope to add to the diversity on Main St. The store is located on Main St. east of Porter Ave.

University of Oklahoma graduates Patterson and Bean wanted to create a place where they would want to shop. They said they enjoy buying for the store and enjoy seeing customers and helping them find a treasure. They said they are both excited to become a part of the downtown feel and they have a goal to liven up the east side of Porter Ave. and make it a cool place to shop.

“This is a store we can enjoy, we enjoy buying for it and we enjoy selling to our customers, it’s such a fun adventure.” Patterson said.

Patterson and Bean said the time was right to open up a store together. Patterson has worked for other businesses, but she said that it was always her goal to have a business of her own. And friend, Bean, said she was excited to join in because her job was ending.

“I think the store came out of a love of things and a love of the process and we saw a niche that wasn’t really filled in the community,” Bean said. “For me it was to be able to shop and make that part of our living.”

Patterson and Bean want to make their business as green as possible by reusing and reselling whatever they find.

“There is no barn sale, flea market or garage sale that we won’t go to, we want to go to the far ends of everywhere we can,” Bean said. “We sell things that we find useful, that other people are ready to get rid of, and so it’s a green business.”

Stash will have its grand opening during the second Friday art walk in September. OU artist Christopher Scott will have work in the shop.

Take a look!

Tomboy style! and all possible with a little thrift store shopping.

tomboystyle.blogspot.com

Where, Oh Where has the Vintage Vibe Gone? -Post 8

The Vintage Vibe has been in Norman Okla. for about 15 years but recently vacated their building on Main St. without leaving a forwarding address.

The Vibe has been a long time icon on Main St. and known for it's wide range of vintage costumes for rent and for sale. However, the clothes have always been on the more expensive end of vintage shopping. The Vibe has moved out and the building is up for rent with no tenet as of right now.

The Vibe has occupied three different locations on Main St. in its 15 years. Its last known location was 301 W. Main St. and has since moved to a warehouse on the west side of Norman said Lauren Lackey, Co-owner of Elusive, another vintage retailer in Norman. Shopping is available by appointment only at the warehouse and some items can be found on craigslist.com.

Lackey, who works for a local estate sale company owned by Karen Landrum and Linda Kacmarcik, also said that Angela Calhoun is banned from attending all sales held by the company and other local companies because of price tampering and suspected shoplifting at their sales.


Lackey said she has known Angela, owner of the Vibe, and that she was surprised to see them leave Main St.

Denis Shwabe is the owner of the Vibe's last location, 301 W. Main. He was left the building after the death of a relative.

"They are certainly still around town, but I don't know what their up to now or why they left," Shwabe said.

The shop has a Facebook and MySpace page with some contact information to make an appointment. However, the Owners Angela and Mark Calhoun do not answer the listed phone number and do not respond to emails according to Lackey. The shop does not have an address listed for its new warehouse location.


Norman vintage shoppers will have to go else where for their for their vintage finds now that the Vibe has disappeared.

Saturday Morning at the Fair -Post 7

The Cleveland County Fairgrounds in Norman, Okla. hosts a flea market and estate sales every weekend during the summer. This past weekend was filled with events for Norman residents to enjoy. The flea market, the farm market, which is held every Wednesday and Saturday morning, and an estate sale put on by the Cathouse estate sale company were all out in full force this Saturday.

Cleveland County Fairgrounds representative Sharon Harrell said that they estimate that between one and two thousand people came through the fairgrounds this past Saturday. Everything was offered, antiques, jewelry, vintage clothes, flowers and locally grown foods, furniture, just about anything was being sold at affordable prices.

“We know there’s thousands, but we don’t know how many exactly, since it’s free admission, but it was jam packed.” Harrell.

The fairgrounds puts on events from livestock shows and the annual Cleveland County fair every year. And the estate sales and flea market are held every week in addition to the other special events.

Dick Ross is the coordinator for the flea market at the fairgrounds.

“We just like to keep it going,” Ross said. “Most of us are retired folks. We keep it going every month, unless they have something else going on, we’ll stay over another weekend.”
John Rogers is the coordinator for the estate sales and the owner of Cathouse Antiques and Estate Sales.

“At the sale last week we probably had a total of 400 or more people, between 400 and 500 at least, business was good,” Rogers said.

The Cleveland County Fairgrounds has a lot to offer Norman residents. Not only can it entertain and be a source for local produce, it can also offer affordable items and can be a great source for vintage finds and antiques. Among these events that are held each week, the fairgrounds will have many more upcoming events this summer. There will be a quilt show in July and the Cleveland County Fair will be held in September. To keep up with the full calendar of events visit clevelandcountyfair.org.

The Farmer's Market is held every Wednesday and Saturday morning during the summer at the fairgrounds.

The flea market that was held last Saturday drew a large crowd.

In The Garage Phase -Post 6

Garage sales are a fundamental part of every weekend in most towns in America. Garage or yard sales have been a great source for just about anything at a very low cost for decades. Linda McIntyre has been garage sailing in Norman Okla. for over 30 years.

The impact of garage sales on American culture has been examined in numerous documentaries and studied by professionals. It presents an interesting look into human nature and asks the question, why do people shop at garage sales? For the bargains, for the game of it?

McIntyre said she started shopping garage sales as a primary source for clothes, shoes and other needs when her children were young. It was a way for her to buy things that she could not have afforded otherwise. Later, when eBay first came on the scene she realized she could sell her garage sale finds to make money. Since then she has continued to shop at garage sales for fun.

McIntyre said that she has done a lot of self-exploration through garage sales and has learned some valuable lessons.

“People are more important than things and no matter how many things you have it’s not going to bring someone back or give you a better relationship with them,” McIntyre said. “That’s something I’ve found with estate sales also, you learn a lot about people and about their relationships with their family.”

McIntyre said that going to a good area of town is the best advice for garage “saling“. But she warned that it is possible to overspend and overbuy at a garage sale. A brief web search will show that there is something a little different about garage sales than other kinds of bargain shopping. McIntyre said that things don’t make your life and it is easy to forget that.


Linda McIntyre, Norman resident and garage sale expert.

The Secret That Is Elusive -Post 5

Elusive on Main Street in Norman, Okla. specializes in vintage clothes, accessories and antiques. Run by mother-daughter team, Kelley and Lauren Lackey, the shop has been open as Elusive for two years.

Elusive is a popular place to find vintage items and antique furniture and knick-knacks in Norman. Daughter, Lauren Lackey said the vintage clothes are so popular because she sells them at much lower prices than most places in town. She finds her vintage items everywhere, garage and estate sales, flea markets and thrift stores, even dumpster diving. She really likes to sell her finds at affordable prices.

“I like to do that sometimes, if I got it out of the trash and can make five or 10 bucks, to me that’s more fun, for someone to get a really good deal,” Lackey said. “Ten bucks in my pocket in a week is better than 40 dollars six months down the road.”

Four years ago, Kelley Lackey acquired the shop which was a rather junky antique store that had passed from owner to owner. Lauren Lackey used the store to sell off some unwanted vintage items and to her surprise they sold like hot cakes right away.

Lauren Lackey said there is a good market for vintage clothes in Norman.

“There is a big market in Norman, with it being a university town with people who are a little bit more environmentally aware,” Lackey said. “The biggest thing to people is that it’s recycling. You’re not buying something new, it is something that was going to go into a landfill and you’re able to pass it on. And it’s cheaper. I try to do it so that it’s affordable.”

Lauren Lackey said she wants customers to have fun and shop. And if she doesn’t have what they’re looking for she likes to tell them about other vintage places in town. She is also willing to share her favorite places to find vintage clothing.

“I’ve always been open with people, a lot of people wont tell you where they get stuff, but I’m like, if I’m not there getting it right now, then you go get it.” Lackey said.

Lackey said that even though the market is good, it is hard to get the word out about the shop. She said that once customers are in the store they are buying the vintage items and coming back for more. She and her mother are planning some events to promote the store. In August, Elusive will have an evening cocktail party so customers can shop at night with music and live models and chances to win door prizes.


Elusive on Main Street in Norman OK.


Vintage Clothes for cheap at Elusive!

Local Artist, Bill Williams

Bill Williams does what he loves. He’s been doing what he loves for over 30 years.
He travels, paints and takes photos out of his small studio above the Main Site Gallery on Main Street in Norman. After retiring early to devote the maximum amount of time to his passion, he has spent everyday doing what he loves most, art. And he’s still going strong.

The Vintage Club -Post 4

Wild Hare Beadery on Campus Corner in Norman, Okla. has sold beads and custom jewelry for years. But as of recently, the colorful and unique array of clothes in the back of the store are up for grabs, and all under 20 dollars. The store is now offering vintage clothes in addition to its supply of jewelry trappings.

Reese Truesdell, owner of Wild Hare Beadery, says that the store primarily sells beads, but adding vintage clothing and accessories has been a big success.

“The clothes work well with our aesthetic, my wife and I both have an eye for older looking things, really unique things,” Truesdell said.

Truesdell said he and his wife started selling clothes they loved but did not wear anymore and when the clothes became more popular they added more and more. They met people who own local businesses or sell vintage clothes and were interested in helping them.

“We started going to estate sales and running into the same people, they recognize us now and they know what we’re looking for,” Truesdell said. “Once people figure out what you’re doing they always want to a part of it, that is how it came together.”

Truesdell said he has a great network of people backing his business and he and his wife are a lively part of Norman’s community.

“We have a community, we know a lot of other small business owners in town,” Truesdell said. “We’ve been around for a while and we’ve met a lot of people and we all work together as a team in many ways.”

Truesdell says the way to find vintage items is to know when the thrift stores put out new things and when clothes go on sale. He says that it can be difficult and takes a lot of vigilance, but if you are dedicated to finding original clothing you will find them.

Up Coming Events:

Wild Hare Beadery and its neighbor Birdie, Flowers, Sustainable Housewares and Clothing will hold a trunk show event July 10. Both stores will put on a party and will be having sales on clothes and jewelry.

In August, Wild Hare Beadery will have a back-to-school kick off and a big sale throughout the store.

August 28 will be the annual Dust Bowl Arts Market on Campus Corner in Norman which was founded by Wild Hare Beadery owner, Reese Truesdell, Birdie owner Katie Huskerson and Dana Fisher. The Wild Hare Beadery and Birdie will be represented at the Festival





Vintage clothes hanging in the Wild Hare Beadery in Norman








The Wild Hare Beadery on Campus Corner in Norman

All About The Bargain -Post 3

Norman Okla. residents choose to shop thrift stores in addition to shopping at retail stores for largely one reason. To find a bargain. Norman and metro area thrift and consignment stores are thriving because residents are choosing to buy second-hand clothes over new items.

While America falls deeper into debt, Norman inhabitants find a way around today’s pressure to keep-up-with-the-Joneses and consumer culture. Everyone is benefiting from this form of recycling. Shoppers say that finding a great bargain is why they buy second-hand.

Norman residents have been taking advantage of the thrift and consignment stores in town for years. Valerie Slemmons Mettry said she has been reselling her clothes since before reselling was cool and loves to find a good bargain on clothes and furniture.

“I started reselling and I got into the game of it,” Mettry said. “It became the game of finding the find, finding the gem in the midst of everything. It is amazing what you can find, very expensive things for pennies.”

Norman resident Susan Czentnar goes shopping at thrift stores as often as she can. She enjoys the challenge of finding a bargain, but she says it can be time-consuming.

“You are always looking for the best buy, sometimes you luck out, sometimes you don’t, so you have to keep going,” Czentnar said.

Jessica Dupler, manager of Outreach Thrift store, said that she sees many different kinds of people shopping in her store.

“We get all kinds of customers, people who are looking for specific things for parties, people who need everyday clothes, back-to-school clothes, people looking for a bargain, we get everybody,” Dupler said.

Women and men alike choose to shop at thrift stores because they love to search for the great buy. They feel that they need to devote time to second-hand shopping, but local thrift stores offer half-price days that make getting a great deal easier. But according to shoppers good quality clothing at very low prices is available to those who are willing to look.







Thrift store manager, Jessica Dupler talks about her customers.



In order of appearance, Thrift store shoppers Danielle Lugrand, Valerie Slemmons Mettry, Susan Czentnar and Jacki Perrin share their reasons for shopping at thrift stores.

How To Succeed in a Recession Without Really Trying -Post 2

In spite of the current economic downturn in America, there are some local businesses who have seen positive growth in sales. The recession has not had a negative effect on secondhand clothing stores in central Oklahoma. Businesses like Outreach Thrift Store and Daisy Exchange, have seen an increase in sales over the past year, despite the havoc spreading throughout the state budget and housing markets all over the country.
Outreach Thrift store has been in its 12th Ave. location for five years and owned by Annie and Craig Doll. The store works with local charities to provide vouchers toward free clothing to those in need, in addition to their for-profit sales. Daisy Exchange, located on I-35 in Moore, has been open for three years. Daisy Exchange will buy customers used items in exchange for either cash or store credit.
Daisy Exchange manager, Danielle Rider said people are coming in to shop and sell more and more.
“The economy has had a really positive effect on us, it’s really sad for other businesses, but it hasn’t had a negative effect on us,” she said.
Annie Doll, owner of Outreach Thrift Store, said when the economy began declining over a year ago, her sales were up around 10 percent, but now have leveled off a little.
“The economy doesn’t really seem like it has impacted us yet, across the board we haven’t noticed it yet,” she said.
Both stores have a positive outlook on the future of their businesses. Doll said that as the crisis continues sales may increase, but she and her husband are going to continue to do what they are doing and wait to see what will happen.
“We may yet see the full impact of the economic crisis, its like the jury’s out on that, we’ll have to see,” Doll said.

A look around

A PWOP, a portrait with out a person. A SOP, Sense of place.

For the first assignment in JMC 3003 in Gaylord College of Mass Comm at the University of Oklahoma we were give an opportunity to use cameras to go out and search the world for images.

The top image is from my brother's room. His bookshelf offers a lot of insight into his life.

The lower image is from a local park near my house that has a real magical feel. I hope I was able to capture that here.