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Tori
Contributions — newest first
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Meet the Makers: Tawapa
Phoebe Minona’s Tawapa is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, but the company is still having new firsts. From its start as an early vendor of bone and horn jewelry to now pushing technical boundaries with its first-ever titanium line, Tawapa has always tried to stay one step ahead. Leveraging a decades long passion for jewelry, a background in cultural anthropology, and boundless creativity, Phoebe hints that she’s far from finished taking Tawapa — and body jewelry — to new places. I talked to Phoebe about Tawapa’s new titanium line,…
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Meet the Makers: Modern Mood Body Jewelry
When Modern Mood Body Jewelry founders Monica Bern and Michelle Ma started working together at a fine jewelry store, they never expected to wind up running their own body jewelry business. But after a very successful visit to the Tucson Gem Show and inspiration from the ear constellation trend, they started down the path to creating today’s Modern Mood: a playful, minimalist jewelry brand built for mixing and matching. I talked to Michelle and Monica about starting Modern Mood, the transition to body jewelry, and their creative process. This interview…
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Meet the Makers: Brien 9 Fingers
Can’t find the jewelry you need? Why not make it? That’s how Brien (Brien 9 Fingers) got started making glass jewelry 12 years ago. Now, he’s a full-time glassworker who makes custom pieces, single-flare plugs, and pendants, including piercing-inspired pieces like pendants with needles or acrylic body jewelry. Glass plugs are a staple in jewelry cases or for anyone with larger gauge piercings, so I talked to Brien about how he got started making them, how it grew into a business, and what he likes about glassworking. This interview has…
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Crying in the Cube
Before my suspension at the Ontario Suspension Convention, I asked my facilitators not to let anyone photograph me if I was crying. I had never cried during a suspension before, so I said it with an off-handed “it probably won’t happen, but just in case,” and felt somewhat silly for even saying it. A little over an hour later, I was lying on a massage table and sobbing hysterically into a piece of gauze. My legs were barely elevated, but the hooks felt excruciating. As one so often does during…
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Laced up
Corset piercings are a classic play piercing, and they never get old. This set by Dominick Burkett on Michi features two types of lace and golden chains to create a textured finish. Plus, a cool hat!