Interview with PinkPopMash!

Check out a super fun two-part interview I did for PinkPopMash. Thanks for repping my Etsy store!

You can read the whole interview below or check out the original first post HERE and second post HERE.

————

MASH: When did you know that you wanted to be a designer? AZ: I’ve always been drawing, sewing, painting or had my hands in some kind of creative project since I was little but I really got into designing in high school. I played around a lot with my mom’s old vintage stuff, trying to re-interpret things to be more modern.

MASH: What inspires your work? AZ: I am mostly inspired by vintage fashion, current trends and all the cool people I see on the street. I like to keep it fun and fresh.

MASH: Do you listen to a specific type of music when creating your work? AZ: As far as music goes, my current playlist has a little bit of Led Zeppelin, Kings of Convenience, Paul McCartney and Kings of Leon. My music changes with the seasons!

MASH: So, you have designed for Urban Outfitters, how did that opportunity come about? AZ: I just worked in their store in Merchandising and entered an Employee Tee Contest one day. They loved my design and wanted more… and the rest is history!

MASH: Why did you decide to sell your designs on Etsy? AZ: My friend told me about the site when it first started WAY back in 2005 but I didn’t start selling until recently. I really love the creativity of the Etsy community and the ease of use. Plus there’s no better way to test a design to see if it’s working than getting it out there on Etsy, it keeps me on my toes!

MASH: Why the name Two String Jane? AZ: Jane is what I named my guitar that I found at a garage sale for $2. It only had two strings on it at the time when I bought it and I used to learn how to play things on my guitar when I had “designers block”. Thus “two string jane”!

MASH: What advice would you give to a designer trying to make a name for themselves? AZ: Always stay true to yourself and your style and it will show in your work… and be open to the unexpected. Invest in branding for yourself and especially in good pictures! They’re the most valuable tool you have when selling your brand.

MASH: Who is your favorite designer? Why? AZ: I love Karen Walker right now, her stuff is flirty and feminine with a tomboy twist which I think is a great mix and her florals are amazing!

MASH: Finally, where do you see yourself in five years? AZ: Still working away on anything creative I can get my hands on. I’d love to have my own physical storefront someday! Curating a collection for a store of my own would be one of the most fun things ever.

Tags: etsy designer, featured blog, interview, two string jane

Studded Oxford Collaboration with Mr. Sohail Justin Akhavein

So I was recently approached by the wonderful Sohail, a fashion student out of Minnesota and all around awesome guy! After he found me through my Etsy store, he contacted me wanting a pair of studded loafers, which I just found out had been discontinued by the manufacturer. So he looked and searched until we found some gorgeous leather oxfords from Urban Outfitters that worked out perfectly. Check out the gorgeous end result in more detail below:

AND if YOU want a pair like these, or any other kind of studded shoes you can think of just contact me through my Etsy store or through my contact form on this site and I’ll work with you to make a pair of  studded beauties for you!

Check out my Etsy Store here for all kinds of goodies galore!

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, black leather, collaboration, custom studded, etsy store, for sale, silver dome studs, sohail, studded loafers, studded oxfords, two string jane, urban outfitters

two string jane featured post on CASH MONI

CASH MONI recently did a complete post on me with pics of  my new white Studded Loafers and Carol’s striped faux fur vest after seeing my stuff on NOTCOT. Thanks so much to them for promoting my DIY studding abilities and repping my Etsy store!

Check out the original post here shoes on Etsy here and get a piece of history =)

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, art, BE STILL Hand Cut Layered Leather Pendant Necklace or Pin Badge in White and Red with Gold or Sterling Silver Chain, be still saying, black and white, boho hippie chic, Carol Striped Brown Faux Fur Racerback Open Front Vest, Cash moni, clothing, contrasting gillet, contrasting hand, crown yellow ink, faux fur vest, gold sterling, hot rod, inspired by the movie, jewelry, laser cut look, leather red white, lettering typeset, LIMITED EDITION Where the Wild Things Are Crown Black and White Striped Hand Painted Tee with Yellow, maurice sendak, max, max where the wild, merchandise belt, movie book, movie maurice, movie spike jonze, necklace hand cut, nikka costa tour, NOTCOT, open front tank, Opening ceremony, painted spike, pin back badge, pinstripe design, pinstriping carol, racerback striped, sendak spike jonze, shirt halloween, silver charm, striped crew neck, stripes brown, studded loafers in white, terrible yellow eyes art, things are, things are max tee, tribute art, two string jane, typography font, typography hippie, urban outfitters, urban outiftters, where the wild, Where the Wild Things Are, wild thing font, wild things, word bubble

two string jane Monster Series Tees Adds 2 New Friends!

Clive gets two new friends to hang out with in my Etsy shop… meet Fred Fuzzy and Sam! Made on the same silky viscose, this oversized super thin tee drapes perfectly and accentuates your silhouette while not looking baggy.

Get them HERE!

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, clothing, draped tshirt, etsy, for sale, handprinted, monster design, monster series tee, oversized sexy fit, rolled cuffs, scoop neck, shirt, tee, two string jane, vintage slouchy, viscose material

hand cut leather collage bib collar necklace on paper & pattern!

My hand cut brown leather suede reversible collage bib collar pendant yoke necklace was posted on”paper& pattern” under their Etsy Thursday Favorites. Yay!!! Check out the original post here.

Thanks for the love!

You can get the necklace at my Etsy store here.

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, bib collar, bone anchor moon, collage pendant, featured post, hand cut brown leather suede reversible collage bib collar pendant yoke necklace, hand cut leather, jewelry, key arrow asterisk, laser cut necklace, leather brown, lobster clasp, mushroom squiggle, paper & pattern blog, paper and pattern, silver chain, sterling silver, suede reversible, two string jane, twostringjane, yoke hand cut

Two String Jane on Tout-Est-Des-Roses!

Recycling Star Of David for tout-est-des-roses

Thanks so much to Sara Sophia over at Tout-Est-Des-Roses for such an amazing post about my stuff! With the adorable pictures of mom and daughter wearing the Recycling Star of David Tees and the stellar review of my clothing I am at a loss for words! It was an absolute joy corresponding with her on the interview and giveaway.

Check out the post here to read the full interview and review and enter the giveaway for some cute Kids Flowering Vines Leggings or a Colorblock Lace Bib Necklace Tunic!

Tags: about me, about the designer, Alyssa Zukas, an apple a day giveaway, eco-jewish, featured post, flowering vines leggings, giveaway, interview, kids clothing, lace bib necklace tunic, notschlock, organic green, recycling star of david, tiny two string, tout-est-des-roses, two string jane

ReTweet Post on FashionIndie: “FYI DIY: Studded Ankle Boots”

Retweeted Post on FashionIndie

YAY! I was so excited to see my post about DIY Studded Boots retweeted on my absolute hands down FAVORITE site, FashionIndie! I’m about to faint…

I love their articles and awesome/funny takes on everything. They’re the best resource out there for everything you need to know to be able to battle it out in the world of fashion!

Thanks again to FashionIndie for all the love on my DIY Project! Check out the post here…

Tags: 3 Buckle Boots, Alyssa Zukas, ampersand design, Ankle boots, Barney's, black, booties, Chloe, cult indie, custom made, DIY, etsy shop, fashion indie, fashionindie, featured post, flat ankle boot, for sale, FYI DIY, FYI DIY: Studded Ankle Boots, green, Kate Bosworth, look alike, look for less, look like, red, replicate, Sienna Miller, Studded Boots, studs, Topshop style, two string jane

LIMITED EDITION : Renewal Urban Outfitters Alyssa Zukas Artist Series Heart Deep V Dip Tie Dye Tunic Sweatshirt

Super cute remade renewal deep v neck sweatshirt has all the comfy funky flair you’ll ever need with a huge heart on the front! The fleece feels like it’s never been worn! This white and grey dip dyed deep v tunic sweatshirt features a tunic silhouette with banded sleeves, neckline and hem. It also features a tie at the drop waist with gold beads at the ends, a big red heart from my Urban Outfitters Artist Series Tee on it and roomy hidden pockets at the sides.

Brand: none

Size: Fits like M/L

Measurements lying flat:
pit to pit- 22-24″
shoulder to bottom hem- 24″
sleeve length- 29″
shoulder to shoulder- open”
bottom hem width- 16″

BUY ME HERE!

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, artist series, clothing, deep, deep v neck, dip dye, for sale, heart deep-v, heart shirt, limited edition, long sleeve, one of a kind, red heart, remade renewal, sweatshirt, tie dye pocket, tunic, two string jane, urban outfitters, vintage

Alyssa Zukas on Twitter… I hope I don’t regret this decision!

AAAAaaaaaahhhh!

The title speaks for itself! I’m getting with the times and just signed up for a Twitter account… I hope I don’t regret this decision!

For updates on all things two string jane follow me here: http://twitter.com/twostringjane

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, follow, twitter, two string jane, twostringjane, updates

Clive – Monster Series – Handpainted two string jane Viscose Scoop Neck Oversized Tee with Rolled Cuffs in Grey

Clive the Monster makes his debut in my new Monster Series of shirts for two string jane line! This sexy oversized tee is super versatile and super comfy. Made of silky viscose, this oversized super thin tee drapes perfectly and accentuates your silhouette while not looking baggy.

Each tee features a sexy scoop neck and rolled cuffs with Clive the Monster hand printed in Black ink at the front hem of the tee. Each Clive has a uniquely textured pattern since I hand printed him just for you… no two shirts are ever alike!

BUY ME HERE!

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, clothing, draped tshirt, handprinted, monster design, monster series tee, oversized sexy fit, rolled cuffs, scoop neck, shirt, tee, two string jane, vintage slouchy, viscose material

Eclectic Dawn – Collage Bib Collar Necklace Colorblock Jersey Rolled Cuff Scoop Neck Tunic Dress

This UBER chic dress is perfect for any occasion… from the supermarket to the beach to the runway! With an adorable eclectic collage bib necklace hand painted at the collar, there’s no need to even accessorize! Can be paired with cute studded ankle boots or with grey tights and chunky heels for a night out.

This navy and white colorblock cotton dress features a babydoll silhouette with a bright red hand painted collage necklace at the collar. Each tunic is hand-modified and stitched by me and lovingly hand painted with a custom collage design in contrasting paint so each one is unique!

BUY ME HERE!

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, bib necklace, clothing, collar printed, colorblock mini, dress, etsy store, for sale, heart star collage, jersey cotton, navy white, philip lim, red paint jewelry, rolled cuff, tunic babydoll, two string jane, vintage sailor

tiny two string Kids Line Now Launched!

tiny two string Lace Bib Collar Colorblock Necklace Tunic

Come check out my Etsy Store for new items from my Kids clothing line tiny two string, including two organic cotton hand-painted lace bib necklace colorblock tunics and hand-painted flowering vine leggings. All are hand painted by me to give it a 3D look, no screens or stencils! Stay tuned… more to come soon.

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, baby clothing, babydoll, colorblock, eco friendly, flowered, hand painted, kids clothing, lace belt, lace bib collar, lap t, leggings, organic, painted back, printed calf, printed necklace, purple and orange, sustainable, tiny two string, tunic, two string jane, yoke necklace

Urban Outfitters Pillows on moseyblog!

Thanks so much to moseyblog for the stellar post about my Artist Series Pillows for Urban Outfitters!

Check out the full post here…

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, artist series, bright, canvas, crewel embroidery, featured post, heart, housewares, lightning bolt, moseyblog, pilllows, pillows, star, two string jane, urban outfitters, wood buttons

New Pillows are Up Online!

The new pillows made it up on the website and they look totally amazing! I wanted to make some pillows with some 70s flair and handiwork  and Urban Outfitters did a great job working with that vibe.  AND you don’t have to worry about that “grandma’s couch” straight out of the 70s smell! What more could you ask for…

Check them out here.

Tags: artist series, bright, canvas, crewel embroidery, heart, housewares, lightning bolt, pillows, star, two string jane, urban outfitters, wood buttons

Urban Outfitters Pillows by Alyssa Zukas

Urban Outfitters just sent me production samples of the pillows I recently designed for them based on my t-shirt series. I’m really happy with how the crewel embroidery came out!

Tags: bright, canvas, crewel embroidery, heart, housewares, lightning bolt, pillows, star, two string jane, urban outfitters, wood buttons

Alyssa’s T-shirts on TV: Project Runway

Holy cow. So lemme preface this by saying that my t-shirts have been seen on quite a few TV shows, including America’s Best Dance Crew and So You Think You Can Dance… I’ve even heard rumors that they were seen on Survivor and Dr. Phil. I found all of these equally amazing, but none as amazing as what happened today.

Alyssa Zukas' t-shirt (lightning bolt) on America's Best Dance Crew

Alyssa Zukas Urban Outfitters lightning bolt t-shirt on America's Best Dance Crew

So I’m watching Project Runway (season 5) as usual, specifically the episode where “college-age women” were brought in, along with their mothers, as clients. Halfway through the show, my man Tim Gunn sends in the clients. Lo and behold, Jerell Scott’s client Caitlin is wearing my Urban Outfitters star t-shirt. Need proof? Check these out.

Alyssa Zukas "Star" t-shirt on Project Runway

Another shot of my t-shirt on Project Runway

Tags: "college-age women" challenge, Alyssa Zukas, America's Best Dance Crew, Fanny Pack, Jerell Scott, lightning, Project Runway, So You Think You Can Dance, Star Shirt, SYTYCD, tees, two string jane

They Like Me, They Really Like Me!

The infamous post

So I just came across this awesome post on Urban’s Blog! Someone tipped me off that they’d seen some of my jewelry on Urban’s site and I was like “whaa”! Pretty sweet that they not only think my tees are cool but that the copious amount of silly projects I’ve managed to amass over the years have some merit in the world.

Posted in their post is a pic of a necklace that I mass produced a while back for a holiday boutique.

Check out their super nice comments about my stuff.

Thanks for all the love Urban!

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, artist series, beading, jewelry, necklace, two string jane, u.o., urban blog, urban outfitters, Urban Outfitters Online

Urban Outfitters Artist Series Tees

My Artist Series t-shirt designs are now available at Urban Outfitters in stores and online. There are a few shirts that are only available in stores that aren’t posted online so make sure your check out the nearest Urban to see the others. And if you really like my stuff leave a review on the Urban site!

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, artist series, black hearts, clouds, dino, heart, lighning bolt, moon, star, two string jane, urban outfitters

Custom Sweaters Featured in Urban’s Weekly Empoyee “SLANT” Newsletter

Urban SLANT Employee Newsletter

Just found out that my sweaters were picked to be featured in the Urban Outfitters Employee SLANT Newsletter that goes out to all the Urbans in the country! Even put a nice little bio in there too.

I can’t wait to see what all the other artists did with their sweaters!

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, bee, bio, bird, custom stencils, customized project, employee newsletter, featured, ostrich, ribbon, SLANT, squirrel, two string jane, urban outfitters, Urban Renewal Sweater Project, zippered sweaters

Urban Outfitters: Urban Renewal Sweater Project

Just finished up customizing a big heapload of sweaters for the Urban Renewal Sweater Project along with a bunch of other great and talented artists. For my modifications, I decided to take off all the buttons on the front and add crazy colored zippers, add a faux sewn pocket on the front, hand stencil one of 4 animals: squirrel, ostrich, sparrow and bee, and sew on some crazy ribbon. It took forever but I they turned out great! And I even managed to get some cute custom tags made with my name and site on them.

Check them out in select Urban Outfitters stores soon!

Here are a few pics of a select few sweaters before I sent them off…

Tags: Alyssa Zukas, bee, bird, custom stencils, customized project, ostrich, ribbon, squirrel, two string jane, urban outfitters, Urban Renewal Sweater Project, zippered sweaters