Sleigh Ride

I love New Year’s celebrations. It’s one holiday where we can reflect on our past and set our intentions for the future. A NEW year. A blank slate of 365 unsoiled days laying before us. 365 sunrises awaiting, an unlimited number of opportunities to do right, do good, do more, to be our best and better selves; countless ways and opportunities to take all our accumulated knowledge of the past year and years before this one and move forward into unexplored terrain.

Much of my efforts this past year have felt somewhat Sisyphean. I love that word. Poor Sisyphus, cursed to push boulders up the hill throughout eternity only to have them roll back down when he got close to the summit. Maybe he deserved it, he was a bit of a schmuck, but eternity? A bit too long. It seems a lot of us are feeling this way – lots of work – difficult to attain the hoped for rewards. I’m learning (slowly) to enjoy the journey up the hill, to take a break now and then to enjoy the view, and if things start to roll back down, to dig in, hunker down and breathe deep. So, enough of my reflecting! Onward and upward! Oh, and for 2012? THERE WILL BE PEARLS!

Home (Made) for the Holidays

Wow, so once again we’ve all made it through the holidays! No, no, I speak too soon! New Year’s is still a couple days away and the gatherings with friends and family continue. So, how is it going? What, so far, will be kept as a treasure in your memory basket? I have had a slew of meals and celebrations with people I love, and so many pictures to process and share. So to start here’s a quick round up of some things that I have loved this past week.

I’m completely mad for my new Nina Z boots – they are the perfect blend of stylish and comfortable. They have quickly become my go-to walking shoes, and I walk a lot. Hand made in Sweden by fifth generation clog makers – fifth generation mind you. And my sister is a knitting genius. The pouf! Oh, the pouf, I am head-over-heels for it. The cowl is my new security blanket or American Express card, in that I “don’t leave home without it”! My friend Gaby made a most excellent pastry (yes, from scratch) from her native Uruguay. I am now planning a trip there just so I can eat more of this. And pictured at the bottom, the musical Once currently at the New York Theater Workshop was such a treat. Yep, better than the movie, and I did really like the movie. If you can, GO NOW. It is moving soon to Broadway and will probably lose some of its charm in a larger venue. If I could I’d go back and see it again. Oh, did you notice my tin can menorah? I also have a 1950s aluminum Christmas tree up, but that is not so homemade, is it? Now, what are your New Year’s Eve plans?

It’s All Good

I’ve been MIA for a few days. Actually, not missing, but frantically running around like a madwoman on fire getting everything finished and shipped out on time. WHEW! I just got back from UPS having dropped off the last of the Holiday Aroc Urtu orders. Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy! If you ordered something, I hope you love it madly!! And please write about it either here or on the Aroc Urtu Facebook page – Sarah and I would LOVE to hear from you!

Now here’s a beautiful landscape…

Oh! And before I forget. Guess What! Aroc Urtu is in the upcoming issue of Vogue Japan! How darned exciting is that? I can’t read what it says, but given the company of Jake Gyllenhaal and Leo Dicaprio (HELLO), I’ll take it. Very, very gladly at that.

(Leo’s bubble comment compliments of me)

So, whatever you are celebrating right now, enjoy it to its fullest!

Storm King Art Center

I’ve been meaning to get this post up for weeks (okay, about seven of them). As you can see in the photos, it was a spectacular Autumn day when I took a drive north of NYC and visited Storm King. I’ve always said that jewelry in many ways is simply sculpture in miniature. Form, texture, balance, proportion, varied raw materials all coming together to create an experience for the viewer and/or wearer. Sometimes I think about working very large. Just imagine some larger than life Aroc Stacking rings – FUN!

Red and Green for the Holidays? Make it Ruby and Emerald!

Certain things just go together. A boy and his dog (or, of course, a girl and her dog too), cocoa and slippers, and red and green for the winter holidays. I have no idea how this came about, but this is the inevitable color combo of the season. How to rock it best, you ask? Well, with rocks of the ruby and emerald variety I say.  Check out our ruby and emerald slices in gold bezels - could anything say "holiday" better than this?

I hope if you've read this far you'll stop and say hi in the comments and maybe tell me what your favorite holiday combo is!

Emerald, Gold, and Deer Earrings

My newest favorite! Don't you just want to dive into these lovely sliced, top faceted emeralds?!

At the Met: New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands

There is no shortage of sources for inspiration in NYC. An afternoon outing to the Met always cures me of any sort of creative blockage or general malaise. If some Egyptian treasures can’t fix it, then maybe staring at a Vermeer can, or now a stroll through the incredible new wing of Islamic art.

“The grand reopening of a suite of 15 dramatic New Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia took place at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art on November 1. The greatly enlarged, freshly conceived, and completely renovated galleries house the Metropolitan’s renowned collection of Islamic art—one of the finest and most comprehensive collections of this material in the world. Design features within the new space will highlight both the diversity and the interconnectedness of the numerous cultures represented.”

Here are just a few of the objects that are inspiring me. Enjoy!

As you read above, the Islamic wing of the Metropolitan Museum reopened after being closed for renovations since 2003. The richness and diversity of the treasures in the collection makes for a true visual feast. There’s way too much to be absorbed in one visit, so I’m sure I’ll be heading back over and over again to get recharged.

Charles and Ray Eames

I just saw an amazingly inspiring documentary about the 20th century powerhouse design couple, Charles and Ray Eames. Did I say inspiring?! I need a better word – insupradupraspiring.

What an incredible duo. From chairs that are now icons of modern design to toys, textiles, corporate exhibition displays, and short films, they were designing and creating it and changing the entire design world in their wake.

 

The IBM Pavilion at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair covered 54,038 square feet (1.2 acres) in Flushing Meadow, N.Y.

They even designed fonts. Don’t you love it?

I remember seeing this short film as a child in school. We were collectively blown away and made the teacher show it to more times. If you haven’t seen it – it is a must.

While one of the few things they didn’t design was jewelry, their esthetic and design sensibility has always inspired and informed mine. In fact many of my best ideas come to me sitting and sketching in my favorite chair of all time.

We Love Penguins

It’s another Furry or Feathered Friday. Can someone please tell me whether penguins are furry or feathered?

I think for me it all started here, with Mr. Popper’s Penguins. The first chapter book I remember reading all by myself. Those playful, non flying, supercute birds in their graphic black and white perfection. I was smitten.

I know you are making a silent “aaaaawwwwwwwwww” right now. How could anyone resist?!The two penguins are wearing sweaters sadly because they are survivors of an oil spill. The sweaters keep them from ingesting the oil off of their bodies and getting poisoned.

Fortunately in my jewelry design career I’ve had the opportunity to design some of these critters for various clients.

Can I tell you how much I love the penguin watch by Chopard on the right? The center piece is a cloisonne enamel piece I made a long time ago.

This amazing Emperor Penguin is by Tiffany, and the one on the right is vintage.

Happy penguin day to you!

Ring(s) in the Season!

It's here, ready or not! December 1st?! No, I can't believe it either. My list of things to make, do, and see before the holidays blow by us once again is very long. I’m promising myself that I’m not going to get frantic and stressed out, and really take time to enjoy friends and family. So here’s to officially ringing in the holiday season! What are your plans?

But my very favorite ringing of the holiday season are not the rings that delight the ears, but the ones you can put on your fingers. Like for instance these: