tucson bound

I'm headed out this a.m. to Tucson's famous yearly gem show. I'm hoping to find some yummy gemstones that will aid in inspiring some new pieces. I had a drawn out strange dream last night involving a bloody nose and a missed airport connection, so here's to everything going smoothly. Can't wait to share what I find!

to market, to market

I could no longer resist the amazing weather we've been having here in the Bay Area, so I decided to get out of the studio for a bit and go for a bike ride to one of my great local farmers markets.

My everyday piece: Sarah Swell Flotsam & Jetsam Circle Necklace $108

the bounty

the goods: bbq roast pork sammy on ciabatta with grilled red onion & meunster cheese. Blood orange salad with spinach, almonds, basil & citrus vinaigrette. Simple, fresh, yum.

splendid decaying monuments

Sometimes pretty pictures are just pretty pictures, but sometimes they have something to say. Initially I was drawn to these images because, well, they are breathtaking. When I read about them I was pulled in further. The Parisian photographers, Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre, have captured Detroit's urban ruins. "Splendid decaying monuments," they are lovingly named. "No less than the Pyramids of Egypt, the Coliseum of Rome, or the Acropolis in Athens, remnants of the passing of a great Empire."
Now, I have never stepped foot in the city of Detroit, but I feel taken by the images just the same. I think partially because Oakland shares some of the same negative perception that Detroit does. Because of this, I feel akin to a place I've never visited. I know that amongst the blight and despair, there are people trying to rebuild their city, people being creative in abandoned warehouses, entrepreneurs seeing opportunity just under the surface. It takes heart to live in a city like Oakland or Detroit. People scrunch their faces at the mere mention of your hometown. Just like it's worth it to Oaklanders to bear the scrutiny, I'm sure it is for the people of Detroit. Why? Because we know our city is slowly transforming and will take shape into something great, different than before, but great.
These images also feel so current and important to me. In them lies the lesson that the Detroit of the early to mid 20th century with its version of the faster, more, better, mass-produced American dream is unsustainable. What created that Detroit is ultimately what destroyed it. A great lesson for our nation and the world can be learned from this and applied on so many levels as we move forward in these tumultuous times.
Finally, I simply find them beautifully haunting. In the lost, the abandoned, the forgotten is usually where I, personally, find the most beauty.

some way to greet the year

vintage Pierre Cardin sparkly sweater, h&m tuxedo jacket, forever 21 skinny jeans, thrifted black pirate boots.

jewelry: Sarah Swell & Amy Nordstrom

Warm, shimmering gold. The perfect way to ring in 2011. I hope for change, innovation, entrepreneurship, success and people helping each other in the years ahead. You?

factory 20...

can easily suck up an hour of my day. Minimum.

This site is like the best virtual antique sale ever. Furniture, decor, art and general oddities are exquisitely staged , photographed, and up for sale. Yes, it's very expensive. And yes, you could probably find many of these items at a deep discount scouring thrift stores, craigslist and yard sales making them good as old/new again with some elbow grease. But, will you actually follow through? If yes, then good for you. If not, then save your pennies darlings, because you never know when you'll just HAVE to have a ready-made vintage light bulb collection or a paint-by-number jesus canvas. Love.

my ideal friday night....

is spent in an art museum! San Francisco's De Young Museum to be exact. Certain Fridays throughout the year, the museum hosts a free party that includes entertainment & a bar. The entire building is open and lends itself to aimless wandering among masterpieces young and old. Pieces and artists recognizable and obscure. You almost feel as if you shouldn't be there, but then, in the distance you hear the sweet song of a live opera singer. In the hall of the Ancient Americas you pass another couple and flash a smile. They too share your secret of a night at the museum nestled deep inside the infamous Golden Gate Park.

me and my partner in crime, the infamous Mr. Plaidmaster.

thursday evening trunk show!

Live in the Bay Area? Then you must come by Collage Gallery this Thursday evening! Collage is hosting a champagne filled double trunk show featuring my jewelry and Apres Collective. When I first moved to San Francisco, I worked for a jewelry designer whom had a studio in a nearby industrial area. On my lunch break I would often wonder up the hill to this cute little neighborhood. On one of these excursions, I found this special gem of a shop, called Collage Gallery, filled with the most exquisite objects and art. Now, years later, I'm so happy to be showing my work here. Come visit.

Collage Gallery 1345 18th St

Thursday December 9th

6-8 pm