Tag Archives: The Market NYC

Flick This!

August 15, 2013Clothes, crafts, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Etsy, Fashion, Jewelry, Latina, Lesbian, Photography, Queer, Stuffed AnimalCara Reynolds, eco-friendly, etsy, facebook, flickr, gay, handmade, homemade, instagram, lesbian, love, Maria Emilia Borja, Mensa, Mushpa, Mushpa Y Mensa, organic, plush animals, queer, The Market NYCtdaait

We here at Mushpa y Mensa had an Instagram (which is owned by Facebook), but decided like Facebook, it is a tantamount waste of time and a way for a large group of people to convince others that their lives are more exciting, interesting, happier than going out and making it true. Not only that, but people should be aware how Facebook makes most of their money is by selling your information. Not through ad clicks and charging people with business pages money to have their posts reach ALL their “Fans” and “Friends” as you may believe. Listen, I want to live my life not spend hours stalking others’ make believe life or promoting my own better than reality life. Been there, done that and every time it left a bad taste in my mouth. Thanks to Mensa pushing us we have been Facebook free for almost a year now and I have yet to miss it. Not surprisingly, I accomplish much more without it, so to my friends who tell me things like, “You would have known I was out of town if you had a Facebook“. I say call me, email me, hangout with me as I am never going back!

Next, people are always asking us if we have a Facebook so they can “Like” the Mushpa y Mensa page or link back to us. When we answer no they seemed shocked like for sure we will never be a success without Facebook or it will be soooo much harder. I find that to be a misnomer. We have already had movie stars, a big time movie producer and a composer of modern day operas among multitudes of other amazing human beings love and buy our art in the last 8 months since opening. We believe in ourselves, our art and the idea that if you do the work and right thing the Universe will always reward you and thus far it is working. I have asked other people with businesses and Facebook pages how much business it has generated for them and the results are nil to nothing. That says more to me. Honestly, you can’t use something bad to achieve good, that’s just the way it is.

Let me stop and get to the real point of this blog entry. Maria Emilia and I want to be able to take pictures and post them somewhere instantly, link back to them in our blog posts and document our journey through photographs of the making of Mushpa y Mensa, without using Instagram, so how can we? Flickr!!! Yes, ladies and gentleman we have a Flickr account now full of our fantastical photos!!! :] There are photos of our amazingly unique organic tees, of the fleas, fairs and markets we’ve worked, photo shoots, crafting, us and whatever else our little hearts desire. Go look at it and tell us what you think? I am so excited!

Never forget in life there is always a workaround, so don’t get stuck.

With so much love!!!

– Mushpa

Pridefest

June 16, 2013accessories, Art, Clothes, craft, Lesbian, Queer, Womenartist, astoria market, Cara Reynolds, eco-friendly, Fulton Flea, gay, lesbian, Maria Emilia Borja, Mushpa Y Mensa, NYC Pride, organic, Pride Fest, pridefest, queer, Saint Anthony's Market, The Market NYCtdaait

Working the Bohemian Hall Beer Garden is the Good Life.

We applied for Pridefest today. They asked us 2 questions, we have them below to check out if you’d like. It may help you get a better idea of who we are and how we think. Enjoy…

What are your group’s major accomplishments?

i.e., are you the longest running, oldest, largest of any kind?

A major accomplishment, well starting a business in January of this year for one. Secondly, people really loving our raw attempt at different types of art forms than we’re used to working with. Maria Emilia, being more of a painter, sculptor and I, a film major who fixes computers and builds websites. Nevertheless, people love our jewelry, which we design from a force beyond our own brains into our capable hands, magic felt dolls made out of recycled plastic bottles, 100% organic cotton tees with fantastical original designs like Binary Queer, which is Queer spelled out in binary code (check it out here http://www.etsy.com/listing/150007505/binary-queer-organic-cotton-t) and whatever else our maniacal minds may come up with. We didn’t really think of the selling part so much, but jumped right in after opening our Etsy store, www.mushpamensa.com. Markets we have done thus far are, The Market NYC, Fulton Flea, Astoria Market and we are doing Saint Anthony’s Market over on Sullivan and Houston this weekend. Maria Emilia and I really like being mobile. We also like meeting the people who buy our art. We tend to strike up conversations about their career choices, life choices, they laugh, relate, appreciate our shirts and generally are really good, interesting people themselves. These good people are drawn to our stuff (and us). That gives us hope in humanity. It sounds dramatic, but riding the New York City subway during rush hour, well that changes a person, people are at their worst then. People on a Saturday or Sunday walking in the sun, well they’re alright.

Give us a brief description of your main goals, functions, and/or mission.

PART 2

We are a small eco-boutique that moves around the city’s outdoor (and at times indoor) markets, advocating for local, eco-conscious, women-owned, queer-owned, small businesses all over the world, and of course also to sell and spread our art, messages, laughter, love, et cetera! We hope people see we love what we are doing (which is making a living selling our art), and get inspired to make small changes in their lives. Small moments become large movements. It’s true. Mushpa y Mensa is a small team with really big dreams.

Come check us out tomorrow at St. Anthony’s Market in the city from 10-8PM.

See you then!

– Mushpa

Markets, Markets and More Markets

May 21, 2013accessories, Art, craft, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Etsy, Fashion, Gay, Green, Homemade, Jewelry, Latina, Lesbian, Queer, Small Business, Stuffed Animal, T-shirts, Woman Owned Businessart, Beer Garden, Bohrmian Hall, Cara Reynolds, crafts, eco-friendly, handmade, homemade, lesbian, Maria Emilia Borja, Mushpa Y Mensa, organic, organic cotton t shirts, plush animals, Queens, Queens Beer Garden, screen printing, t-shirts, The Market NYCtdaait

We here at Mushpa y Mensa have been working the last few weekends at The Market NYC. It was a great few weeks, but now that the weather is getting nicer we have decided it is time to hit up the outdoor markets. We applied to a few other venues this week for this weekend and the next few throughout the summer. Once they get back to us we will let you know. If you have any ideas or suggestions where you would like us to sell, feel free to comment away. This is our first few months of business and our first experience at markets so let us know. Also, any insider tips from other vendors are welcome as well.

One upcoming market you can come and chill with us at is Astoria Market in Queens. It will be in the garden at Bohemian Hall (aka outdoor beer garden) on June 2nd from 1-6PM. What does that mean???? It means come, drink, be merry, buy awesome, organic, original, hand printed, fantabulous t-shirts in the sun!!!! That sounds awesome!

Thanks to everyone for their support and love these last few months. We appreciate it.

Besos,

Mushpa

Once Again Back It’s The Incredible…

May 7, 2013accessories, Art, Clothes, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Etsy, Fashion, Gay, Jewelry, Latina, Lesbian, Queer, Stuffed Animal, T-shirts, Woman Owned Businessart, Cara Reynolds, clay bead necklace, eco-friendly, etsy, handmade, lesbian, Maria Emilia Borja, Mushpa Y Mensa, organic, plush animals, screen printing, The Market NYCtdaait

That’s right catch us next Friday (5/10) 12-9, Saturday (5/11) 11-9, and Sunday (5/12) 12-8 living the high life at The Market NYC. You can pick up some of our super fly 100% handmade, organic tee shirts, imaginary friends and of course our amazing jewelry.

See you there.

-Mushpa

The Market NYC Here We Come!

April 18, 2013accessories, Art, Clothes, craft, crafts, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Environment, Etsy, Fashion, Gay, Green, Homemade, Jewelry, Latina, Lesbian, Queer, Small Business, Stuffed Animal, T-shirts, Woman Owned Business, Womenart, artist, Cara Reynolds, clay bead necklace, clay beads, clothes, crafts, DAS, eco-friendly, fashion, felt, handmade, home-made, jewlery, lesbian, Maria Emilia Borja, Mensa, Mushpa, Mushpa Y Mensa, necklace, organic, organic cotton, plush animals, recycled, screen printing, stuffed animal, t shirt designs, t-shirts, tablet case, The Market NYC, toys, yarntdaait

We would love to share with you this fantabulous Mushpa y Mensa Earth Day extravaganza!!! It is happening this very weekend!!! What? Yes!

La Mushpa y La Mensa will be selling wares in the flesh at The Market NYC (159 Bleecker Street) all weekend long (Friday – April 19th 12pm-9pm, Sat – April 20th 11am-9pm, and Sun – April 21st 12pm-8pm).

Please, if you live in the city or are visiting, make sure to stop by and show us some love. We are unveiling our much awaited 100% organic cotton shirt designs (“Put a Bird on It” designed by Mushpa and “Mama Earth” by Mensa). These shirts are printed using water-based eco-friendly inks (301 ECO-Series by Matsui), free of PVC, phthalate, heavy metals, azo compounds, nonylphenol and formaldehyde. We clean up after ourselves using mostly water. When necessary, we may use a citrus and soy based eco-cleaner from Chemical Consultants Incorporated. We also do everything by hand from the design, to printing transparencies, exposing the screens and lastly, printing them on the shirts.

It’s exhausting, but we are making art!

-La Mushpa

p.s. – We also have an official web url, www.mushpamensa.com. So official, check it out!