The boutique space had been a long-time dream, but came together very quickly. I had a heap of detailed decisions to make, and fast! Below is the journey of some of those picks and how they came to be.
We needed shelves. And lots of them. A friend told me not to settle when it came to shelving, so I didn’t. Italian leather it is! -- leather straps suspend wrapped canvases from our walls. The shelves carrying that clean, natural look I can’t get enough of.
Everything in me re.joiced. the day we found sheets of one hundred year-old grey, marbley marble in the Praetorian's basement. Finally! The perfect use for them! I had the marble cut - long and slender - to become tops for display tables. Welders joined long metal legs and trays so the marble sets right in. We painted all of the metal parts *Champagne*, you know, to celebrate all year, forever ;)
We infused every detail with beauty, believing that beauty matters and that it speaks. Without it, it's a hard, hurting world - incomplete of what *else* is out there. We believe in beauty for beauty's sake!
When it came to displays, we thought we'd keep the spirit of handmade everything alive. Exotic wood, carved into a nice slant to show off our jewelry was the way for us from the beginning, so we kept those going. Earrings dangle from these delicate iron bars, anchored into that same wood.
I wanted to display the Wings of the Dawn necklace, with all of her color variations, in a new way. We hung the necklaces one or two at a time in glass jars- from their cork tops! I don’t know what it is about the small glimpse of turquoise, citrine, black onyx & mother of pearl hanging in those pretty bottles, but they just make me smile. We lined them up in various spots around the shop and they spoke to people throughout the Grand Opening (and beyond).
I'm sure about this: in that odd little display, I see the whole of what Peter and I hoped our space would be here -- this refreshing, powerful, beautiful thing in an unlikely but well-suited container. I LOVE! the unexpected and when our townspeople are walking downtown, we want to be the burst of life and hope -- beauty and essence that’s been given to us to steward.
Our family loves to be near water. It's a thing we like to do - to search for unique driftwood pieces together. My eldest daughter calls it "driftwood hunting". Its the simple things : ) Necklaces dangle from these treasured driftwood pieces hung horizontally in the shop, each one gathered from sweet family outings. Seeing them draws up happy memories, reminding me of the weaving of work and family through my life. This is key!
My Nakita piece was born from the idea that you have stories that are unwritten. When you wear Nakita, let her remind you to keep writing your story! That brings me to ask -- what are your dreams? Download our “First Steps” printable and get the gears going, you guys! You’ll be so glad you did. I sure am…
See the Nakita necklace for yourself! http://bit.ly/SEJNakita