Vegan Sid and Dingo Dysmal in the same film. Great show! http://ping.fm/AHjux

On my way home right now! On my back for a week.

We might leave tomorrow! Surgery went way better than anticipated oh fraq yipee! We're in 4523 Legacy Immanuel if you are so inclined Thurs

Final surgery moved to Nov 16th. Thanks everyone for all the help. This chapter is nearly over, we will be able to do so much more.

Katie has been bringing new artists into HVB and it has been just fantastic. I can't wait to see whats' next & I might start a new page devoted entirely to the artists. Yes that is what I'll do, wait for M3house.org/HVB

For HELD go to: M3house.org We just released the new color brochure a dandy tri-fold designed by my local fave she's done work for just about every reputable magazine to be brief and I am honored in a big way marcirothdesign.blogspot.com/ & marcirothillustration.com/

Frankenmika Update

Katie's Talk at HVB

Katie's Talk at HVB, originally uploaded by M3house.org.

I feel so fortunate to spend such time with this great lively collection of art. The use of glass powder or granules in the acrylic medium is met with near perfect application. This entire body sparkles and shimmers but not obviously, you can barely see it, it arrives in near imperceptible waves of lavishness. I'm so lucky.

Before I even knew it was in pulverized glass I was struck by the embodiment of what all art strives for: creation; These "Vegetable Portraits" are living and breathing in a world that could only be the "womb" to them. Sorcery is the only plausible way these [beings] could be attached to such a mystical background. Never in Post-Modern art have I seen anything even close to this arrangement. Over the days I have spent with these treasures I have truly fallen in love, luckily the size range might allow even me to pocket one.

Closing the Store with Katie and Micah

HELDVeganBelts.com

The HVB store is coming up on the one year anniversary so we got the website and shirts to go along with it! I'm really excited about getting the new catalog running with all the new products on the site HELDVeganBelts.com you can go to Skreened.com/HVB for shirts. Damn I've been looking forward to this for a long time. A very special thanks to all the volunteers who kept HVB alive while I was in the ICU and recovering. We still need plenty of generous help so when you're ready let me know.

Time again for HELD to grow so we are reaching out far and wide to greater distribution. These are the Strongest Belts in the World! Likely the most sustainable as well. In addition to setting up wholesale accounts everywhere we are looking to open other workshops to keep the distribution as green as possible.

Crazy Photo Sesh

HVB_0487, originally uploaded by M3house.org.

Wow that was heck-a fun I can hardly wait for the next one. The catalog and fresh website will be done before fall just in time for the Back-To-School kittens and pups. Kyle you were awesome for last minute rock-a-billy action! Thanks as well to Johnny Walker for taking so many pictures and some of them are even good! Imagine that. Links to the Flickr account for the rest.

Robert's new book is really rad I read it in a couple days cause I couldn't put it down. He is a very inspiring and motivational character and it comes through the book too. This book will be a reference source that you come back to again and again.
Link to the book: HERE


Okay kids go have some fun now- I have some belts too make!

Innovation For Thee

Entire slew of fine characters and so idea springs forth out from the gaping hole. I don't know how much space I'm allowed to use here. extraordinary amount of pain right now I don't know why. bye. donate at http://tinyurl.com/ye9q83q Thank you.

Massage At HVB

My friend Sheila is a really good LMT and I mean really good, she has finally agreed to come and work on the tired stressed out shoppers at HVB! It'll be really nice to have her around I haven't had a massage in a while so its about time for me. If you've gone without for financial reasons come Sunday she's doing a deal unheard of. Go see her website: http://tinyurl.com/yf9mcd5 Haircuts At HVB Yep I just met this lady and for some reason it made perfect sense for her to come in and do do's. I don't know a thing about her, I don't even remember what she looks like but it was one of those things where everything just clicked and one thing led to another and now... HELD VEGAN HAIRCUTS! Tomorrow only, so far we'll see how it goes.

Plugged In

Now we can take your credit cards and debit cards!

Twin Stereo Spacecraft
Are getting ready to do some amazing shows here in Portland and HVB is first on the list of venues. Stay tuned M3house.org

...is this mic on?

This is the HELD Vegan Belts guy my name is Micah and I'm recovering from bone surgeries from head to foot while trying to keep this business humming for the critters. I'm no tech wizard so its been quite a trip trying to make things go, this blog should automatically post to three locations just to be sure. My apologies to those who look here for updates part of my condition includes moving slower than the possibility of universal health care for Americans, now I should be able to do it all from my phone until the interwebs come to the store.

I will be telling you about the fabulous clothing from http://VeganThis.org and the intelligently recreated sculptures made from lost toys. As always we are the place to come for free literature, stickers, and good conversation about the realization of animal rights, how to eat smart, or any other miriad concerns. I'll be writing about too soon remodel and start different weekly topics like "Creative Upcycling" and "Local Hikes" for set days of the week. I guess being in the same place everyday affords me at least an illusion of being organized.

Stay tuned or come into the store and see for yourself what "The World's Strongest Belts" look like. We're at the corner of NE Alberta and 31st from 11 to 7 everyday but Monday or give a jingle at (503)288.8866 until then I'm in there making neat stuff.

HELD Website

HELD Etsy
These are the websites to buy the strongest belt in the world. Come to Portland Saturday market for a huge selection. Go to the first option for free shipping.

UPDATE  1/2016 :

All the held sites have been replaced with http://amazon.com/shops/vegangear and maybe the youtube or g+ I will be putting up a new website later... maybe

Destroy The TV!

I got a phone call a couple days ago and it was the guy from the television saying he wants to interview me about the awesome HELD Vegan Belts. I haven't watched tv in a long time but I guess other people still do so tune in Saturday morning between 9 and 11 to see my fabulous superstar face on channel 12 (Portland). Sure hope I didn't pick the wrong time to quit drinking coffee again.

If you aren't going to tivo this historic event here is what I'll likely say: "Look TV guy, if you buy any other belt you totally suck giant ass because these are the most sustainable ever! They are made from reclaimed material locally, and this material will outlast any other belt material so you wind up reducing overall embodied energy. We have a zero-carbon footprint and all the others are shit. You've taken up alot of my time TV Guy now I think you better buy a belt or Courtney here is going to cut you- got it?!"

I'll say something like that I'm sure, it'll be early and I quit coffee again so I'll be my usual grumpy self. I'm sure I'll be plastering it all over the interwebs too.

Come down to the market sometime to check out the new goodies from the HELD HELL line of functioning sm wear.

The Stories We'll Have...

After a horrendous application, review, and orientation process you can now find HELD Vegan Belts down at the Saturday Market. We started the last weekend of March and it's been rather fun and interesting. Courtney has been helping out volunteering part time and I can't begin to express how much she is helping. Facing all the anti-vegans at the market alone would have me sobbing on the floor. From the first day word spread quickly and we are known as "The Vegans." We have had some support but could use more.

I am really excited about having the word "vegan" so prominently displayed among the SAD crowd. The labels still have the blurb about 'Why Vegan' but I would like to re-make them with more snaz. We made a huge sign that is just asking for trouble but the SAD consumers are more timid than I thought they would be. It's a tough balance trying to just put the word out there and not scare people off. Courtney was saying they were scared of us cause of how we look; I suppose facial tattoos and piercings aren't as mainstream as I thought, let alone the all black clad with the Herbivore "Praise Seitan" hoodie. I wound up wearing my Food Fight! shirt over the hoodie but still scared the Standard American Dieter's.

Next month we move to a new and improved sparkly environ right on the waterfront. I'm looking forward to my riparian summer answering dumb ass questions about protein and honey bees. Please come down and lend some support- by support I don't mean money, I mean stop by and say you are glad we are there- it would be so much easier to not be there. Until a vegan food cart rolls in bring us a snack too! We do trades.