A Few Lovelies On Sale

In the Metal Shop!

xoxox,

Allison

Beautiful Baubles and Custom Listings

UPDATE: Custom Listings all gone - do you knowhow much I love you guys?

Geez.

In the Metal Shop starting now-ish!

xoxox,

A

A Short Note About Custom Orders

Hello!!!

Very quick-like:

tomorrow evening along with three or four little pretty, affordable pieces for vastly different ring sizes and ears I will be listing three custom orders as items:

they will be for thirty dollars each, which will act as a deposit for your piece.

From there we'll discuss the details on an individual basis.

I am so excited to offer new custom slots!!!!

xoxoxoxox,

Allison

From Mexico, With Love

On the left: a dainty and complex little agua nueva in a size 7.5* that looks like a garden in full bloom

On the right: a collector's Laguna Agate in size 7*: HUUUUUUUGE and full of coral and sunshine hues

Both of them have wide, detailed ring bands, which I will let you discover when I list them

HERE(!!!!)

In a few :)

xoxoxox,

Sunny Oney

*A note about wide bands: the size I have given is the size of finger they will fit: in reality, the sizes are larger, but they fit the finger size listed.

Respite

Here amidst these tall giants my crabby demons had a vacation

and were summarily exorcised

in the grace of nature.

I need the trees and the water and the company of good people to help me process the creative life: sometimes Inspiration's visits leave me bruised.

sometimes she stays just beyond arms' reach, out of earshot by a fraction of a decibel...

This past week was creatively rich and somehow left my heart weary; I found myself lost in fears I cannot even name-

in fact,

I don't want to become that well-acquainted with them, quite frankly.

They are base and pointless, serving only to fatten themselves on the flesh between the chinks in my armor.

That sounds violent and gross, but it's the only way I can describe it.

I want to make myself a fortress of ideas.

And so one by one,

I choose better thoughts like bricks

and before I know it, the feeling of downward pull in my belly is tamed

and I look out at my garden in the sun

and I am grateful for this life, for this unique experience.

Diligence.

In the midst of the tumult I began working my first cab, from a very soft stone whose origin is unclear: all I know is that it's beautiful.

As is everything I saw yesterday (except perhaps the mosquitos)

While walking through Portola with some very lovely people.

The Sun and the Moon

Rutilated Quartz with beautiful golden Rutile

set into an art deco angel wing.

Asymmetrical and full of prayer.

Brushed to shine,

Oxidized chain left ebony.

A cut of fabulous moonstone

Shining with a pearly blue light, hopeful and haunted like the moon itself.

Together in the Metal Shop this afternoon!

xoxoxox,

Allison

Flower Power

A corsage is defined as a small bouquet that women wear on special occasions: A ball, a wedding and all manner of fancy moments....

What about the excitement of simply rising out of bed to face the wonders and mystery of a brand new day?

How about that moment of recognition when you look in the mirror and realize you trust yourself more than you did yesterday, knowing thyself a little bit more?

Perhaps celebrating the passing of a test, the perfection of a Mozart sonata for piano or giving birth?

Everyday life is filled with fancy moments, too - we just have to claim them as special, or they go by unritualized (thanks, Mom) or uncelebrated.

I began my corsage series with this is mind: a cuff that feels like a big deal that can be worn everyday - I tweaked the design a bit from the prototype I made the other day and came away with a keeper:

Tooled deeply, painted gently in a gorgeous pink, yellow and toffee monochrome rainbow...

Shaped carefully and gently lined in ebony to bring out the colors...

Fastened with a silvertone snap

And likely to cause all manner of not only elegance, but very silly poses and utter happiness.

This first piece fits a six inch wrist and will be in the

LEATHER SHOP

shortly.

Love to you,

Allison

Something Special II

I was in the studio working on a custom big bag today, and as I've said before they take a lifetime, so you have to break the work into sections for back and mental health:

I came to a place where a break was needed and lo and behold I was struck by a deep need to start work on my corsage series with a big, bold magnolia in natural tones:

This one's definitely mine, but I would be overjoyed to make a few to put in the shop in the coming days: be on the lookout!

xoxoxox,

Allison

Ummmm....

Please allow me to set the scene:

I am in the breakfast nook, where I have been the majority of the day responding to emails and ordering supplies

when suddenly I hear loud voices.

Thinking this is happening outside, I blithely go about my business.

The talking continues, congenial and intelligent

and I realize:

that's a lot like NPR

and so I walk through Anthony's Man Cave Room

and open my studio door.

Mind you, I have not been in there all day.

The

stereo

is

ON!!!!!

Suddenly and loudly ON!!

No human hand touched its dials beeps or bops.

Thoughts?

xoxoxox,

Spooked in San Jose

Precious History, Preserved

Up in Petaluma they've got a great store called the Antique Bank, conveniently in a building that used to house a financial institution, complete with vaults and deep cavernous basement labyrinths.

It was there, saying goodbye to Jillian a few weeks ago that I spotted my first hand-painted porcelain brooch, set into a cheap brass prong backing.

I wear it nearly every day, around my neck set firmly in a sterling bezel, its back shows the rustic pattern one gets from removing only half the patina from a design, a favorite look of mine.

While I was away I found yet another one in an antique store in Pittsburgh, and my curiosity grew regarding these treasures: where did they come from?

Who painted them?

Well, they're from around the country, and the trend started somewhere around the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial: it came to the attention of fashionable ladies that they could paint and set their own elegant brooches affordably, and beautifully according to their skill and inspiration with a paint brush.

The pair I will be putting in the shop tomorrow were made at different times, likely between 1900 and 1930.

Beyond these dates companies fell into the trend and began mass-producing decals - Limoges comes to mind- and women stopped making them at home, with these affordable options in the stores.

What is left behind from this era of self-made wearable art is a joy to behold: trailing flowers, roses, forget-me-nots, lilies and sunset scenes, all of them valuable, many great works of beauty.

I have taken a few out of their prongs, delicate porcelain rounds set in sterling, given a new chance at fashion instead of being collected and shown inside the home.

I like to think of the benevolent spirits of the women who originally created these brooches having tea in Heaven, musing over the work they created being worn as though it were new some 100 years later.

Listing in the Metal Shop tomorrow: please feel free to convo me with any questions you may have before then!

xoxoxox,

Allison

Yesterday

Something so invaluable happened yesterday:

I met my neighbors.

Some on the front porch where I held my tiny sale (my shops are so sparse from purchase activity that all I had total was a tiny table full of my work - this is a very blessed problem to have), some after the sale was over, in my studio poring over what was left and picking a few things out.

I met puppies,

small children,

couples on bikes and on foot,

elderly,

young,

socially inept and gracious alike,

all welcome

here

where I live.

I have names to go with faces, knowledge of upcoming block parties and barbecues.

I have a hot tip from a red-headed woman in her 60s of a weekly Friday Salso Dancing party held in her living room, followed by drinks and appetizers.

Rumors were whispered of potlucks and pregnancies and I even met a Corgi pup named Daschel who lives a few houses down across the street.

His human, Brian, told me that when the UPS truck rolls up to any house on the street for delivery I will hear Daschel bay like his life depends on it.

UPS indeed had a drop-off this morning and I heard a strange sort of music in the bass-y bark that followed:

familiarity

community

and in the air after the truck had passed and the noise had gone quiet,

the intoxicating sense of possibility.

We are here

we are home

and my cup runneth over.

I will have a few necklaces to show you either this evening or tomorrow morning:

so excited!!

Love you,

Allison

Sunday's Spoils

Ahhhhh, hello koi babies!!!

These lovely creatures, along with a rose belt buckle completely classic in its western elegance will be added to the table tomorrow at the Naglee Park Open Studios event.

What doesn't find a home here will meander into the shop on Monday - I always love sharing the eye candy with you when I have a group of them together: color therapy!

I will have something very special to share with you in a few days: a few pieces will be coming into the Metal shop that feature turn-of-the-century hand painted porcelain cabochons, a wonder for the eyes and the heart.

I will let you know the history of the art form and more when the keepsake necklaces have been completed!

xoxoxoxo,

Allisunny

ART SHOW THIS WEEKEND!

Hear ye Hear ye:

I will be doing a Naglee park art show this weekend, which means that the shops will both close on Saturday night so I know what inventory I have left to work with:

please note that if you love something, now might be the time to snatch it up!!!

Shops will re-open on Monday morning.

xoxoxoxo,

Allison

WINNER!!!!! :)

Wooooooohooooooo!!!

P.S - the moment where I tell you not to 'lurk'? It came out far more 'mom'-like than what I was going for - it was meant to be a friendly invitation to make yourself known so I can more readily adore the person behind the avatar

.

That is all :)

xoxoxoxoxoxo and happy Friday,

Allisunny

Happiness Is...

90 miles logged on a 21-speed bike

.

6 whoopie pies consumed

.

Countless hugs from friends and family

.

Polly and Sarah Anne

.

Fabulous percussionists gigging with you on the fly

(Eric George, you're something!!!!)

.

The thought of coming home to a special man and two adorable kittehs

.

iPhone pictures of clouds from the plane

.

Getting to have my sister see me off at the gate for the first time in decades because of a lovely twist of avionic fate (and crying all the way down the chute from missing her already)

.

My Poppy's 70th birthday party: a sea of endless loving faces; new babies, old friends, good food...

.

Beer:beer:beer: mint chocolate chip ice cream!!!!

.

twenty military cadets on the plane ride home: thank you for protecting our country.

.

These sheets, this new city,

this sunny morning on earth.

.

.

.

Contest results Friday morning - thank you for your patience - I missed you and have been loving your comments in the biggest way!!!