what time is it? it’s artstar time.

hello there folks.

looking for something fun to treat your mama to this weekend? well, i have the perfect event for you to check out. its the 10th anniversary artstar craft bazaar and it’s this coming mother’s day weekend! i will be selling my goodies and so will a hundred or so of the finest artists and crafters from across the country. come on out and say hi, do a little shopping and support your local creative entrepreneurs.

WHO: me and over 100 artists, crafters and food vendors.
WHAT: 10th anniversary artstar craft bazaar.
WHERE: the great plaza at penn’s landing on columbus boulevard between market and walnut streets in philadelphia pennsylvania. i will be located in booth #119.
WHEN: this coming saturday and sunday may 11th and 12th from 11am to 6pm.
WHY: because….what else do you have planned? seriously?

for more info click HERE

i hope to see you there!

xox. j

april showers.

hello there folks.

there is no denying it…spring is here! i am in such heaven with all of these pink flowering trees and colorful tulips sprouting up everywhere. my favorite springtime treat is, by far, my precious backyard lilac tree with its gorgeous purple flowers and the most intoxicating scent. i love to visit it every day and watch its progress from the first little buds to full fledged bunches of fragrant blossoms. the only bad thing about spring is that it seems to be gone as soon as it comes. the trees turn green seemingly overnight and then boom….4 months of 90 degree heat. yuck! well, until that happens, i am going to enjoy these warm and sunny days and cool nights for as long as i can.

when spring is here and summer is not far behind, that means that my outdoor craft show season is about to kick into high gear. the first of those shows is this coming saturday and its always a fun one so…if you are in the philadelphia area come on out and say hi and support your local artisans. here are the deets…

WHO: little old me.
WHAT: crafty balboa april showers craft show.
WHERE: east passyunk at tasker street around the passyunk fountain.
WHEN: this saturday april 27th from 11am to 5pm.
WHY: you need to say goodbye to winter and brighten up your home and wardrobe with some springy goodness made by local artists, crafters and small business owners!

for more info click HERE

i hope to see you there!

happy spring!

xox. j

i’m a thinkin’ spring.

hello there folks.

i do believe that winter is finally winding down. finally! the first buds on my lilac tree are peeking their little heads out of their leafy sleeping bags and i cant wait to walk outside and smell them every day for the short period of time that they are in full bloom. at last i will be able to see vibrant pinks and purples and greens instead of…well…concrete!

it’s time to put away those winter neutrals and start rocking some color in your world. i am introducing new colorful apparel shortly so don’t fret, but in the meantime, i have some exciting new products for your purchasing pleasure. these items include new change purses, wristlets and tech accessories.

some of the wristlets feature brand spankin’ new prints from my PASSPORT collection.

check them out HERE

the other wristlet features fabric from my HABITAT collection and is handmade in rural northeastern pennsylvania by my sister janet. it features a big ol’ silver ring which fits nicely onto your wrist and could also double as a self defense apparatus in questionable situations. (disclaimer: jay mccarroll and his affiliates are not responsible for any claims made on this here blog )

check it out HERE

i also have new iphone cases for both the 4 and 5 models. they feature prints from my brand spankin’ new ELECTRIC GARDEN collection. these are super cute…if i must say so myself!

check them out HERE

last but not least, i have ipad sleeves featuring prints from my new CENTER CITY collections.

check them out HERE

well, i hope you enjoy these new items in my online shop and all of the beauty of nature coming your way shortly. here’s to buds, blossoms, blooms and some warm and sunny days ahead!

happy spring!

xox. j

heads up.

hello there folks.

i just wanted to give y’all a “heads up” that i have new headbands up in my online shop. i shot these headbands on my niece molly. it was really cold outside and we were trying to make it look as springy as we could. she was a real trooper and we had a lot of fun! the backdrop of the shoot was an old barn at hayfield farm in lehman pennsylvania.

check them out HERE

…and just in time for springs arrival, i have 2 new colors of zurich scarves in my online shop. they are turquoise and sulphur green and they are available in bot full and mini zurich styles. they are sure to add some post winter zing to your spring wardrobe.

check them out HERE

happy shopping!

xox. j

let’s go camping.

hello there folks.

whew…am i ever busy today! this past weekend of nice weather has ushered the realization of “holy cow, spring is coming and i need to make sure everyone has fun things to wear”! so while i work on those things, i also wanted to let you know of a fun event i am participating in this coming saturday march 16th.

it’s called the brooklyn craft camp and it’s a 1 day DIY crafting extravaganza filled with classes, yummy foods and lectures and an extra special keynote chit chat with yours truly! so, if you are free this saturday in brooklyn, come on out and say hi and make some cool projects and mingle with your fellow craftletes! it’s going to be a super awesome event!

for more information click HERE

also, i just wanted to remind you that there is only one week left to get 21% off of your purchases at http://www.jaymccarroll.com. so get your tush in gear and get yourself some goodies.

check my online shop out HERE

happy spring, happy crafting and happy shopping!

xox. j

treat your feet.

hello there folks.

is the lingering winter getting you down? are you yearning for some color in your life? well…i have the perfect pick me up for you! it might not be sunshine or daffodils, but it will certainly elevate your mood!

i just wanted to let you know that my socks are now available on fab.com for the next 3 days. pick some up and treat your feet to some super fun color times in these last grey moments of winter! seriously…is spring ever coming? you better hurry up though, the sale ends in 2 days and 17 hours (translation: thursday)!!! tick tick tick…

for more info click HERE

happy shopping!

xox. j

21.

hello there folks.

i do believe i am starting to feel human again after my 8 day, 15 state, 3500 mile journey around america this past week. i started off in philadelphia making stops in nashville tennessee, austin texas, new orleans louisiana and asheville north carolina and everywhere in between those points. i got to catch up with some old friends and make some new ones along the way. i also got to see some parts of america that i never would have if i had flown, like a 19 mile bridge through the swamps of louisiana…scary! of course i got to eat some awesome southern food too. hush puppies, amazing barbeque sauces, beignets, po boys, gumbo…all deliciousness! yee haw!

the reason for my trip was to teach some classes at the inaugural quiltcon in austin texas. quiltcon is a convention for the modern quilting world. there were so many awesome quilts on display and so many great lectures and workshops by the leaders in that industry. i had a fabulous time and met so many wonderful folks. the event was so well organized and everyone had such a positive, bright and colorful attitude, which i love! it was a really great experience. also, the quilt created by victoria findlay wolfe that took home the prize for best in show featured my fabric line CENTER CITY. it was spectacular and couldn’t have been more deserved. great gal that victoria!

for more info click HERE

now back to reality. ugh!

what i was most excited for on my journey was the warm weather. when you spend endless days in cold, you forget how awesome it is to sit in the warm sun…outside. i saw green trees and flowers that were actually alive and i wore a short sleeve shirt and sandals. it was amazing! i am now totally itching for spring to get here in philadelphia.

so…in anticipation of spring’s arrival in 21 days, we are having a 21 DAYS UNTIL SPRING COUNTDOWN SALE! we will be offering 21% off everything in my online store from now until march 20th. so, if you have been itching for some new spring socks, scarves, tanks, tees or dresses…now’s your chance to come and get ‘em!

check out my online shop HERE

happy shopping and soon to be happy spring y’all!

xox. j

next stop…dresden.

hello there folks.

because i got a little taste of spring in the air today, i thought it would be the perfect time to add some new dresden skirts to the online store. they really are the perfect fair weathered skirt friend. they are fun and flirty and feature designs from my “habitat” line of fabrics! and…they have pockets. i know how you ladies love your pockets. yay for pockets!

check them out HERE

ps: thanks again to my amazing model kelly. it might look like spring in the pics, but it felt like about 2 degrees the day we did this photo shoot. such a trooper that kelly!

happy shopping!

xox. j

it’s in the bag.

hello there folks.

i think i am just now finally recovered from my new york fashion week socializing fest 2013 this past weekend. so much running around in a slushy blizzard, too much gossip, waaaay too many drinks but a heck of a lot of fun! what is it about new york city that makes me want to eat and drink everything i see all day long? oh, it probably has something to do with the fact that there are so many yummy eateries there. now i am back to reality in philadelphia juicing again in an effort to detox my poor little system. juice to the rescue! it’s also back to business time and i have some fun new combo’s that i know you are going to love!

if you are like me, the weather directly reflects your attitude for the day. if it is sunny out, it’s a pop up out of bed, crank up the tunes, throw on some fun sunglasses kind of day and we are going to hit the road running. if it’s cold and rainy out, you can expect me to want to attempt to leave my house wrapped in a quilt with my warm dog strapped to my side and a bagel fashioned into a pair of sunglasses covering my face. i do have my coping mechanisms, however, because i don’t live in san diego. this includes wearing bright accessories to not only make me feel like i am sunshine incarnate, but to bring a bit of brightly colored goodness to those around me.

if you can identify, then i have a solution for you. i introduce to you the sack o’ socks. this fun new combo we are offering in my online shop will be sure to brighten your day. we start with a bright pink tokyo tote bag featuring five signature embroidered circles, complete with autograph by yours truly. then, we fill that tote with six pairs of socks of your choosing. choose from 28 super fun designs.

check it out HERE

we have a sack o’ scarves combo too! for that combo, we start with a bright pink tokyo tote bag featuring five signature embroidered circles, complete with autograph by yours truly. then, we fill that tote with two zurich scarves of your choosing. choose from six yummy colors.

check it out HERE

pick yourself up a combo today! unfortunately this deal doesn’t come with a sandwich, fries and a soft drink. sad face.

my online shopping drive thru is always open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week HERE

happy shopping!

xox. j

sunny came home.

hello there folks.

yes, this is a shawn colvin reference. such a great song and “a few small repairs” is such a fabulous album and especially appropriate when on a roadtrip through the midwest. i know all of you are planning a roadtrip through kansas as i type this. well, probably not, but if you are, this is a good album to crank up and feel that good ol’ american cornfield air.

i don’t know about you, but this winter weather can make me sometimes feel like just wrapping myself up in a pretty quilt and setting my alarm for like…april. i yearn for sunny weather and beach time and slathering my body in coconut oil. please don’t even try to imagine that visual. well, if you are like me, then you have to have rituals to get you through the frigid winter weather and, for me, that is to pretend it’s summer and wear a fun pair of sunglasses. yes, even if there is no sunshine.

if you are nodding your head yes in agreement, then you are in luck cuz mama’s got some new sunglasses in her online shop! in this case i am playing the part of mama. please don’t try to imagine this visual either.

if you have been loyally following my trip through sunglass land you will know that my last batch of sunglasses were named after new jersey beach towns. well, those were so fruitful, thanks to you, that i ran out of new jersey beach towns to name them after so this round is named after california beach towns. oh california, how i miss thee! until i can get my ass to the west coast, i guess i will just have to throw on a pair of ventura’s or laguna’s and pretend i’m there. eating fish taco’s at a seafood shack off of the pacific coast highway. where’s that quilt and alarm clock i mentioned earlier? i’m setting it for…california.

check them out HERE

happy sunglass shopping!

xox. j

http://jaymccarrollonline.com/shopjay/unisex-eyewear/