Coming from a background in design, graphics, metal arts, and leather work, Jenifer Nakatsu Arntson makes quality hand-built vinyl goods such as hand bags, wallets, checkbooks, and accessories. Her materials are animal-friendly and her finished products are stylish and modern. After working in leather for many years, Jen has switched to working entirely in vinyl but approaches design and construction with the same attention to detail, quality and function she learned when apprenticing to master-level leather craftsmen and metalsmiths. She is now an Austin-based artisan but has lived in Kyoto, St. Paul/Minneapolis, and Tokyo. Jen's work is also available in Austin, San Francisco and New York boutiques. Her website is www.nakatsudesign.com. Jen is also an active member of the Austin Craft Mafia, and Babes in Business Bonanza. When she is not at the studio, she is on her way there.
It’s 2023, and I’m tidying and resetting the studio while I make stuff, finishing up what I’ve already started. So far this week I’ve finished 2 lenticular billfold wallets, and 9 snap clasp key rings. Cut pieces for some small flap front star bags I’ll be working on this week!
Thanks for your support and interest in my work, the 2022 Blue Genie Art Bazaar went great and I sold out of a lot of things, will make more next time!
Been sewing like the wind, and restocking my BGAB booth. Two weeks left of the show, it’s 10-10 everyday and goes through Saturday December 24 (10-6) at 6100 Airport Blvd, free admission!
I will be participating in the 2022 Blue Genie Art Bazaar (November 18-December 24) and am working hard to build up stock for the month-long show. Here are some pics of what I’m currently working on.
Front and back panels of sparkle pink clear bagStack of clear bags in progress2022 Blue Genie Art Bazaar November 18-December 24
I participated in the 2022 Austin Organic Gardeners Plant Sale event with some other vendors Saturday 10-2 at the Zilker Botanical Garden building 2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78746
Laura Freeman @heylollymusic sang songs of the garden, @centraltexasmycology was there, the Bat guano people were there with bags to purchase, and there were lots of beautiful plants!
Had a very successful Blue Genie Art Bazaar 2021 and sold pretty well, thanks everyone for your support! Will be adding more stock to the BGAB Online shop as I make it.
Filed my 2021 Taxable Sales and am getting back into the studio to work. It’s cold this morning, thankful for my little space heater. Will wait until later in the day to cut more vinyl because my cutting table is outside. Getting back to my customs queue, and will be building stock up again, and listing stuff in my Etsy shop.
Sun Bum Tinted Mineral Face Lotion SPF30, Bare Republic Mineral Face Gel-Lotion SPF30, and Coola Classic Face Sunscreen SPF30
I’ve been trying some new vegan face sunscreens lately and like all of them. I tried Juice Beauty SPF30 Oil-Free Moisturizer but it feels to heavy for my oily acne-prone skin, and I was still having breakouts using the Neutrogena Clear Face SPF55 I used to use before. I’ve been alternating between Sun Bum Mineral SPF30, Bare Republic Mineral Face Gel-Lotion SPF30, and Coola Classic Face Sunscreen SPF30 Cucumber, and really like that they’re quite a bit lighter, a plus in a climate that’s usually on the warm/hot side most of the time. I think Sun Bum and Coola are both available at Target. The cucumber scent of the Coola and Bare Republic is nice, and the lotions feel soothing on my skin. Wish I’d been using sunscreen more regularly years ago, and included the backs of my hands!
I will be participating in the BGAB May Market, it’s weekends Friday/Saturday/Sunday from April 30-May 31st at the Blue Genie Big Top/Blue Genie Art Bazaar space! Sewing like the wind. Masks required, and social distancing at the venue, 6100 Airport Blvd.
It got down to 29• F last night, so we covered the plants and used a string of lights, clip on lights, pvc frames my husband made, plastic sheeting, and bed sheets to protect everything. Great news: Chard, kale, salad greens, ice plant (a succulent), another succulent called burro’s tail (forget its other name), eggplant, avocado tree, Chinese broccoli, green onions, chives, peppermint, rosemary, Brussels sprouts, Kikuna/chrysanthemum, and artichokes look good. Tomatoes, basil and okra got a bit cold zapped, but I expected that. I harvested a lot of green tomatoes last night. So thankful for my handy and quick thinking hubby, and helpful kiddos. Today’s high will be 63, it’s about 58 right now. Cold nights the rest of the week, it will dip into the 30s again Thursday and Friday night, but a few degrees warmer than a freeze. We’ll make more pvc frames so all the beds will have them, and leave those up for the rest of the season so it’s easier to cover them when needed to protect from freeze. Lucky that winter is usually mild in Texas and we get an extra growing season.
Protecting the plants with pvc frames, plastic sheeting, bedsheets, string lights and clip on lamps