Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Written by The Independent Staff

Button+Bloom
Naturally unique best describes Button+Bloom’s handcrafted accessories. Lafayette native Haley Williams began by designing floral bridal hairpieces and has expanded her online store to include everyday hairpieces and jewelry. Williams uses combinations of raw silk, vintage fabric, feathers, pearls, stones and netting on her floral hair accessories, along with heat finishing that gives her designs an eclectic and well-made feel. She also makes a selection of rings that use reclaimed branches, buttons and her signature blossoms. Watch out for Button+Bloom as Williams plans to start fashioning vintage-inspired handbags and hats. Prices on hairpieces and rings range from $10-$65; they can be purchased at Glo Salon, 4807 Johnston St., 984-1407. You can also check out ready-made accessories and customizable options at www.buttonandbloom.com. — Annie Bares

ECREVISSE BY ELISE
Elise Sonnier has been making art since she was a child. Stitched collages, painted quilts, you name it, she was mixing media. This year, she was contemplating a long slow summer vacation from her art teaching job at the Episcopal School of Acadiana and after a few days of indolence, she got antsy. So she taught herself jewelry making and began casting around for something different. “Somebody’s got to be making crawfish jewelry,” she said to herself, but evidently, no one was. One crawfish boil later, she was meticulously cleaning and beautifying mudbug claws. Gilded, lacquered and studded with a pearl, Sonnier’s Creole crawfish claw earrings are uniquely Louisiana. The claws adorn a sodalite (a blue lapis-like stone) and coral cypress necklace as well. Other items from her Dirty Rice collection bear local names like Teche, Atchafalaya, Venice and Carondolet. Prices range from $26-$110 on craft website Etsy. Go to www.etsy.com/shop/dirtyrice to check out Sonnier’s collection. — Mary Tutwiler

FAULT LINE
The blame game between BP, Halliburton and Transocean was part of the inspiration for a recent collaboration between the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lenny Kravitz, Mos Def, Trombone Shorty and actor Tim Robbins. All were on hand for a recent all-night jam session at Preservation Hall, which produced the latest Gulf Aid benefit: a remake of the classic New Orleans brass band tune, “It Ain’t My Fault.” The Wardell Quezergue and Smokey Robinson penned tune is reworked over a Kravitz guitar line with Mos Def bringing some new topical lyrics to the song. “It Ain’t My Fault” is being sold on iTunes as a 99-cent single, with an accompanying video being sold for $1.99. Proceeds go to the Gulf Relief Foundation. — Nathan Stubbs