May 23
Thanks for visiting our temporary site! Beetle and Flor specialize in helping under-served communities that depend on making and selling crafts as a livelihood. Our aim is to help their designs flourish, whether it be by spicing up traditional creations with a modern twist, or developing a strong visual identity giving the artisans an edge in the global market. We also create our own range of products that: use these very same communities, paying fair wages, utilizing traditional materials and craft skills. tackle current issues, particularly urban-environmental. raise funds to support new Beetle and Flor “Community Projects”. We care deeply about the ecological impact of our work, and always choose the most eco-friendly materials and production methods available. Below are some of the projects and organizations we have worked with in the past, including an assortment of our own products. If interested in our services or in the purchase of any of our products, please contact Christine at beetleandflor@yahoo.com or visit our etsy site at the following link: http://porcelainskulls.etsy.com

Thanks for visiting our temporary site!

Beetle and Flor specialize in helping under-served communities that depend on making and selling crafts as a livelihood. Our aim is to help their designs flourish, whether it be by spicing up traditional creations with a modern twist, or developing a strong visual identity giving the artisans an edge in the global market.

We also create our own range of products that:

  • use these very same communities, paying fair wages, utilizing traditional materials and craft skills.
  • tackle current issues, particularly urban-environmental.
  • raise funds to support new Beetle and Flor “Community Projects”.

We care deeply about the ecological impact of our work, and always choose the most eco-friendly materials and production methods available.

Below are some of the projects and organizations we have worked with in the past, including an assortment of our own products.

If interested in our services or in the purchase of any of our products, please contact Christine at beetleandflor@yahoo.com or visit our etsy site at the following link: http://porcelainskulls.etsy.com

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Top left : One of the women participating in the training program for women, at Ghar Sita Mutu, in Kathmandu, Nepal. We had a brief encounter with this orphanage and organization last year during the elections, helping design a logo and a few felt products for their training program. Beverly Bronson founded the impressive and well-run orphanage, home to several rambunctious and bright kids (and dogs)! Top right: This is one of Kokonor’s tailors, probably working away at one of B&F’s cushions from last year. Kokonor is run by it’s talented and dedicated founder Catherine R Anderson, whom I met in 2007 while working for the Norbulingka Institute, in lower Dharmasala, India. We decided to put our heads together (in 2008) and try and go somewhere with our ideas on fair trade, environmentally sound and socially conscious goods. Too see her line of beautifully crafted women’s sleepwear and kid’s clothing, go to www.kokonor.co.uk Bottom left: Catherine and I were super happy to find the Green Shop, up in Mcleod Ganj were we were working and living last year. The Green Shop is run by the Tibetan Welfare Office, and trains and employs Tibetan refugees in all aspects of paper making: this includes running an amazing recycling program, where paper is collected from each individual household. The paper is processed and dyed using natural pigments, and made into paper and all types of paper products. Whenever we can, we purchase our paper goods from these guys. Bottom Right: Our trusty screen-printers at the beautiful Norbulingka Institute. If around Dharmasala, its a must-see!

Top left : One of the women participating in the training program for women, at Ghar Sita Mutu, in Kathmandu, Nepal. We had a brief encounter with this orphanage and organization last year during the elections, helping design a logo and a few felt products for their training program.

Beverly Bronson founded the impressive and well-run orphanage, home to several rambunctious and bright kids (and dogs)!

Top right: This is one of Kokonor’s tailors, probably working away at one of B&F’s cushions from last year. Kokonor is run by it’s talented and dedicated founder Catherine R Anderson, whom I met in 2007 while working for the Norbulingka Institute, in lower Dharmasala, India. We decided to put our heads together (in 2008) and try and go somewhere with our ideas on fair trade, environmentally sound and socially conscious goods. Too see her line of beautifully crafted women’s sleepwear and kid’s clothing, go to www.kokonor.co.uk

Bottom left: Catherine and I were super happy to find the Green Shop, up in Mcleod Ganj were we were working and living last year. The Green Shop is run by the Tibetan Welfare Office, and trains and employs Tibetan refugees in all aspects of paper making: this includes running an amazing recycling program, where paper is collected from each individual household. The paper is processed and dyed using natural pigments, and made into paper and all types of paper products. Whenever we can, we purchase our paper goods from these guys.

Bottom Right: Our trusty screen-printers at the beautiful Norbulingka Institute. If around Dharmasala, its a must-see!

May 22
Come see our booth (F27) at this years Pulse fair in London!

Come see our booth (F27) at this years Pulse fair in London!

May 21
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Birdhouses and accessories! Inspired by trash in my brooklyn neighborhood, and the need for more friendly spaces for urban wildlife. Plant mosses or native sedums/stone-crops such as the ones you see in the pictures here. Sedums get their name from the latin word “sedo” which means sit-and most likely refer to the way sedums  sit on (or in this case in!) rocks and other “unfriendly” places. They are easy to maintain, require little matrix to grow, thrive in full sun, and attract insects for birds to eat. Some common UK sedums well suited for the birdhouse: Sedum acre (also seen in Norway) Sedum anglain, eaten by ground bugs and seed weevils, but might be poisonous for birds? Other European sedums include: Sedum album, Sedum dasyphyllum, Sedum reflexum,Sedum stefco (the little pinkish guys pictured above from Steinsfjorden in Norway), and Sedum hispanicum. I’m still trying to find more information on Native American Sedums, but am having little luck! So far i found Sedum ternatum, and Sedum spathulifolium, both which I think are too big for the birdhouse purpose. I do have a list however (from http://theme-flower-gardens.suite101) of random miniature sedums-and hopefully i can find out a little more, later! Sedum oaxacanum  Sedum stefco (good size) Sedum hakonense ‘Makino’ Sedum rubrotinctum ‘Aurora’ (small when young, from mexico) Sedum X Cremnosedum ‘Little Gem’ Sedum dasyphyllum ‘Corsican Stonecrop’ (can get in the UK, small) Sedum Sedum ‘Spiral Staircase’ Sedum spathulifolium ‘Carnea’ Sedum ewersii var. homophyllum ‘Rosenteppich’ Sedum album ‘White Stonecrop’ Sedum hispanicum var. minus ‘Tiny Buttons Sedum Sedum bithynicum ‘Turkish Sedum’ Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’ The collection consists of three items: Birdhouse: (appx. 7x4”/18cmx10cm), unglazed porcelain and leather hanging strap. Bird feeder: unglazed porcelain, reclaimed wine cork stop and leather strap. Plant pod: unglazed porcelain, cork and leather strap. Please contact for pricing and ordering: beetleandflor@yahoo.com

Birdhouses and accessories!

Inspired by trash in my brooklyn neighborhood, and the need for more friendly spaces for urban wildlife. Plant mosses or native sedums/stone-crops such as the ones you see in the pictures here. Sedums get their name from the latin word “sedo” which means sit-and most likely refer to the way sedums  sit on (or in this case in!) rocks and other “unfriendly” places. They are easy to maintain, require little matrix to grow, thrive in full sun, and attract insects for birds to eat.

Some common UK sedums well suited for the birdhouse:

  • Sedum acre (also seen in Norway)
  • Sedum anglain, eaten by ground bugs and seed weevils, but might be poisonous for birds?

Other European sedums include: Sedum album, Sedum dasyphyllum, Sedum reflexum,Sedum stefco (the little pinkish guys pictured above from Steinsfjorden in Norway), and Sedum hispanicum.

I’m still trying to find more information on Native American Sedums, but am having little luck! So far i found Sedum ternatum, and Sedum spathulifolium, both which I think are too big for the birdhouse purpose. I do have a list however (from http://theme-flower-gardens.suite101) of random miniature sedums-and hopefully i can find out a little more, later!

  • Sedum oaxacanum 
  • Sedum stefco (good size)
  • Sedum hakonense ‘Makino’
  • Sedum rubrotinctum ‘Aurora’ (small when young, from mexico)
  • Sedum X Cremnosedum ‘Little Gem’
  • Sedum dasyphyllum ‘Corsican Stonecrop’ (can get in the UK, small)
  • Sedum Sedum ‘Spiral Staircase’
  • Sedum spathulifolium ‘Carnea’
  • Sedum ewersii var. homophyllum ‘Rosenteppich’
  • Sedum album ‘White Stonecrop’
  • Sedum hispanicum var. minus ‘Tiny Buttons Sedum
  • Sedum bithynicum ‘Turkish Sedum’
  • Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’

The collection consists of three items:

  • Birdhouse: (appx. 7x4”/18cmx10cm), unglazed porcelain and leather hanging strap.
  • Bird feeder: unglazed porcelain, reclaimed wine cork stop and leather strap.
  • Plant pod: unglazed porcelain, cork and leather strap.

Please contact for pricing and ordering: beetleandflor@yahoo.com

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My plan of going back to India this year, went down the drain with the economy, so I focused on making some stuff in my Brooklyn studio. I have wanted for years to recreate animal skulls in porcelain, more specifically turtle skulls, as I have been drawing them for a while for the Museum of Natural History. I ended up with skunk, raccoon and beaver (as turtles were expensive and Frank at the museum would never let me smuggle any turtles out!). I buy them from Maxilla and Mandible who insured me that the skulls have been “ethically” obtained, but just incase, my sister who works for the Smithsonian has promised me an assortment of found skulls. I patiently wait, and guarantee that the next animals you see up on this site have died a very natural death! All skulls are of porcelain, and I do my best to fire them from greenware, with glaze, all the way to cone 6, to be resourceful. The teeth are either glazed clear, or with gold for extra bling. Chains are oxidized sterling silver, with muskrat or skunk jaw pendants, with glazed teeth or with gold (ca 23 k) or silver luster. Buy them from me directly, from Digby and Iona’s site, or at Barometer in Chinatown. 25% of the proceeds go to support new Beetle and Flor projects. Collection: Beaver skull (ca 5”x4”x3”/13cm x 10cm x 7cm), porcelain, glazed or lusterd gold teeth Raccoon skull ( ca 4” x 2.5”/10cm x 6cm) porcelain, glazed or lusterd gold teeth Skunk skull (ca 3”x2”/7cm x 5 cm) porcelain, glazed or lusterd gold teeth Skunk Jaw pendant, lustered gold teeth with oxidized sterling silver chain Muskrat Jaw pendant, glazed teeth with oxidized sterling silver chain Please contact for pricing and ordering: beetleandflor@yahoo.com

My plan of going back to India this year, went down the drain with the economy, so I focused on making some stuff in my Brooklyn studio. I have wanted for years to recreate animal skulls in porcelain, more specifically turtle skulls, as I have been drawing them for a while for the Museum of Natural History. I ended up with skunk, raccoon and beaver (as turtles were expensive and Frank at the museum would never let me smuggle any turtles out!).

I buy them from Maxilla and Mandible who insured me that the skulls have been “ethically” obtained, but just incase, my sister who works for the Smithsonian has promised me an assortment of found skulls. I patiently wait, and guarantee that the next animals you see up on this site have died a very natural death!

All skulls are of porcelain, and I do my best to fire them from greenware, with glaze, all the way to cone 6, to be resourceful. The teeth are either glazed clear, or with gold for extra bling. Chains are oxidized sterling silver, with muskrat or skunk jaw pendants, with glazed teeth or with gold (ca 23 k) or silver luster.

Buy them from me directly, from Digby and Iona’s site, or at Barometer in Chinatown.

25% of the proceeds go to support new Beetle and Flor projects.

Collection:

  • Beaver skull (ca 5”x4”x3”/13cm x 10cm x 7cm), porcelain, glazed or lusterd gold teeth
  • Raccoon skull ( ca 4” x 2.5”/10cm x 6cm) porcelain, glazed or lusterd gold teeth
  • Skunk skull (ca 3”x2”/7cm x 5 cm) porcelain, glazed or lusterd gold teeth
  • Skunk Jaw pendant, lustered gold teeth with oxidized sterling silver chain
  • Muskrat Jaw pendant, glazed teeth with oxidized sterling silver chain

Please contact for pricing and ordering: beetleandflor@yahoo.com

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February 24
Cushion covers and tea towels elegantly dubbed “Frank’s Office”, is sort of a predecessor to the collection “North American Wildlife” and explores the anonymous objects that surrounded me at the Museum of Natural History: A desk lamp, an antiquated diving mask, an elephant print and illustration of unknown mammal teeth together have no logical connection with exception to the space they originally occupied. Screenprinted by the Norbulingka gang and stitched together by the tailors at the Kokonor shop, these products support Tibetan artisans in exile. Franks Office: Lamp Cushion cover (16x16”/40cm x 40cm), Screen printed linen and beads. Bubble Cushion cover (16x16”/40cm x 40cm), Screen printed linen Al Teatowel, Screen printed linen Microscope Teatowel, Screen printed linen Teeth and elephant teatowel, Screen printed linen Please contact for pricing and ordering: beetleandflor@yahoo.com

Cushion covers and tea towels elegantly dubbed “Frank’s Office”, is sort of a predecessor to the collection “North American Wildlife” and explores the anonymous objects that surrounded me at the Museum of Natural History: A desk lamp, an antiquated diving mask, an elephant print and illustration of unknown mammal teeth together have no logical connection with exception to the space they originally occupied.

Screenprinted by the Norbulingka gang and stitched together by the tailors at the Kokonor shop, these products support Tibetan artisans in exile.

Franks Office:

  • Lamp Cushion cover (16x16”/40cm x 40cm), Screen printed linen and beads.
  • Bubble Cushion cover (16x16”/40cm x 40cm), Screen printed linen
  • Al Teatowel, Screen printed linen
  • Microscope Teatowel, Screen printed linen
  • Teeth and elephant teatowel, Screen printed linen

Please contact for pricing and ordering: beetleandflor@yahoo.com

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I met Catherine of Kokonor in 2007 while working for Norbulingka, and we decided to get together the following year to do a few projects. The plan was for Beetle and Flor to develop an identity for her little business and work on a few designs for possible accessories. Catherine worked on her new clothing line, which includes adorable and reasonably priced clothing for women and children. All clothes are handmade by Tibetan refugees, who receive fair wages, and she has also set up a child sponsor program to insure that Tibetan kids in the community receive a good education. For more info on Kokonor and Catherine, go to www.kokonor.co.uk

I met Catherine of Kokonor in 2007 while working for Norbulingka, and we decided to get together the following year to do a few projects. The plan was for Beetle and Flor to develop an identity for her little business and work on a few designs for possible accessories. Catherine worked on her new clothing line, which includes adorable and reasonably priced clothing for women and children. All clothes are handmade by Tibetan refugees, who receive fair wages, and she has also set up a child sponsor program to insure that Tibetan kids in the community receive a good education. For more info on Kokonor and Catherine, go to www.kokonor.co.uk

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In 2007 I traveled to the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala, India, an organization dedicated to preserving Tibetan arts culture, and that train and employ Tibetan refugees who make the arduous journey from China to India.  Besides their screen printing shop, they have four main facilities where Tibetans learn traditional craftsmanship in wood, metals, textiles and painting. I worked together with some of these artisans for three months, with the goal to come up with some new products that celebrate a hybrid of modernity and traditional Tibetan culture. Besides a few small wood thingamajigs, I was real happy with the outcome of the wrapping paper which we made out of overstocked handmade Tibetan paper; I spent a good four weeks working on 8 different designs, most of which were some variation of the Lotus, a reoccurring theme in Tibetan culture. I used some of the same drawing techniques i learned at the museum while drawing the green lotus’ which can be pretty time consuming, but the effect was definitely worth it!  If you are interested in the paper, contact the Institute directly: http://www.norbulingka.org

In 2007 I traveled to the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala, India, an organization dedicated to preserving Tibetan arts culture, and that train and employ Tibetan refugees who make the arduous journey from China to India. 

Besides their screen printing shop, they have four main facilities where Tibetans learn traditional craftsmanship in wood, metals, textiles and painting.

I worked together with some of these artisans for three months, with the goal to come up with some new products that celebrate a hybrid of modernity and traditional Tibetan culture. Besides a few small wood thingamajigs, I was real happy with the outcome of the wrapping paper which we made out of overstocked handmade Tibetan paper; I spent a good four weeks working on 8 different designs, most of which were some variation of the Lotus, a reoccurring theme in Tibetan culture. I used some of the same drawing techniques i learned at the museum while drawing the green lotus’ which can be pretty time consuming, but the effect was definitely worth it! 

If you are interested in the paper, contact the Institute directly:

http://www.norbulingka.org

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Latest stuff. I wanted to draw awareness to the need of getting (us) inner city people outside to reconnect with nature. Initiatives such as “One Million Trees NYC”, ask for public participation to reach their goal of planting a million trees within the next decade. But how can you get the public involved, if they sort of don’t care? Reconnecting inner city kids to our environment on a physical level (digging in dirt), seems important for the future of such initiatives. This campaign was an idea of how we can get our kids outside, using existing free or low-cost programs available around the city.

Latest stuff. I wanted to draw awareness to the need of getting (us) inner city people outside to reconnect with nature. Initiatives such as “One Million Trees NYC”, ask for public participation to reach their goal of planting a million trees within the next decade. But how can you get the public involved, if they sort of don’t care? Reconnecting inner city kids to our environment on a physical level (digging in dirt), seems important for the future of such initiatives. This campaign was an idea of how we can get our kids outside, using existing free or low-cost programs available around the city.